Fortune Favors The Bold
by The Passionate Admiral
Summary: Princess Celestia has a son named Bronze Star. After moving from Canterlot to Ponyville, he joins the Mane 6 and falls in love with one of them. As their bond accelerates, they learn of a treacherous plot to overthrow the government. Bronze Star vows to find the conspirators before they can harm his mother or his Aunt Princess Luna. He will stop at nothing to bring them to justice.
1. Genesis

**Fortune Favors The Bold**

**Author: The Passionate Admiral**

**Rating: K+**

**Disclaimer: I do not own My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. I do, however, own several of the characters mentioned in this fanfic.**

**Plot: Princess Celestia has a son, a bright young Alicorn named Bronze Star who values family and friendship as much as she does. He joins the Mane 6 in their adventures and helps them protect Equestria from imminent threats. Overtime, he uncovers a conspiracy which suggests the existence of corruption within the government, and he works with people he can trust to bring the guilty to justice. Overtime, he develops a strong bond with one of the Mane 6.**

**Note: This first chapter takes place 25 years before the first episode.**

In the land of Equestria, life was wonderful. For hundreds of years, the inhabitants had coexisted together in peace and harmony. Hardships such as war, pestilence, poverty, and famine were virtually nonexistent. Many visitors and travelers from other countries viewed Equestria as the closest thing to an genuine utopia.

The individual primarily responsible for the Equestrians' enduring prosperity was their ruler, Princess Celestia. She had been on the throne for nearly a millennium, and in all that time, no one had ever challenged her authority. Countless generations of Earth Ponies, Unicorns, and Pegasi had revered, praised, and loved her unconditionally. Many more generations would continue to do so, and this ubiquitous love and respect towards Celestia would last until the end of her reign, which would not be for at least several more centuries, since she was an Alicorn.

To most, this may have seemed like a delightful prospect. However, universal adoration came with a steep price to Celestia. From the moment she came to power, Celestia made it her personal goal to watch over all of her subjects. She observed them as they were born, as they grew up, as they created families of their own… and as they died. Celestia saw numerous advantages in the fact that she was immortal, but they were all hindered by the devastating knowledge that her subjects were not. She had made hundreds of friends during her reign, but none of them had been around long enough for her to get very close to them. Millions of equines had resided in Equestria over the course of her rule, and she had outlived all of them. This prospect devastated her, but she managed to cope with it by watching how her subjects mingled together. Seeing them exhibit such strong affection for each other set her conscience at ease. Still, she could not help but feel despairingly alone.

One would think that after nine centuries of this, Celestia would have given up on finding love of her own. After all, what would be the point of letting a stallion into her life for a short time if he would just ultimately depart from her and leave her alone forever? She could not imagine living with that kind of pain.

As far as she knew, there were no other Alicorns in Equestria. No male ones, at any rate. There had not been any for at least 600 years. As a result, Celestia had virtually abandoned any hope of ever having a husband. Despite this, she still had an omnipresent desire to take a mate. This wish was not based on lust or any other sexual nature. Instead, it was formed out of another wish she had always carried. Quite simply, Celestia wished to experience the joys of parenthood. As much as she dreaded the idea of remaining single and childless forever, Celestia had become convinced that she would never have a proper heir.

But fate decreed that she would indeed get one. Nine hundred and seventy-five years after Celestia became the sole ruler of Equestria, a foal came into her life. That is where our story begins.

…

Princess Celestia had a very high tolerance threshold for pain. She could raise and lower the Sun and the Moon every day without breaking a sweat. She could kick through a solid wall of concrete with her back hooves. She could impale a tree with her horn. She could even throw her weight against a diamond as large as a boulder and smash it to pieces without so much as flinching. Many of her subjects believed that there was nothing in the world that could make Celestia feel pain.

This was a quite inaccurate assessment. If there was anypony who knew this, it was Celestia's personal physician Purple Heart. The doctor and his assistant Grace Giver were currently with their leader, helping her with a most unusual matter. She was not suffering from any sort of disease or disability. Instead, they were helping her give birth. Unfortunately for all parties involved, it was hardly an easy delivery.

To say that Celestia was in pain would be an understatement. What she was experiencing was nothing short of pure agony. She had been in labor for over thirteen hours. Her contractions were erratic, and her breathing was irregular and difficult. She was frequently slipping in and out of focus. Her entire body was covered in sweat. Every now and then, she had released a bloodcurdling cry. Several times, the royal guards positioned outside the door had been tempted to rush in. But they were under strict orders not to enter until both Celestia and Dr. Purple Heart gave them permission. The Princess would not allow anything or anypony to interrupt the operation.

At one point, Celestia managed to stabilize her breathing long enough to speak coherently. She gazed over at Dr. Purple Heart and asked him weakly "How much longer, Doctor?"

"I'm afraid I cannot give you a proper estimate, Your Highness," the medical expert dismally informed her, pressing his hooves against the sides of her abdomen, "There is some good news, however. The foal has definitely shifted position and is nearing the border of your birth canal. I'd say you'll be able to see your child within another two or three hours. No less than an hour."

Celestia groaned in annoyance and muttered "You're sure it cannot happen any sooner than that?"

Grace Giver took a clean towel and wiped the perspiration off the Alicorn's face. Then she stated "I assure you we're doing everything we can, Your Majesty. The birth-giving process is different for all types of ponies. Earth Ponies, Unicorns, and Pegasi births are simple, primarily because they occur every day. But an Alicorn has not given birth for centuries. Because of that, our knowledge on the subject is very limited."

"Don't worry about what we **don't **know, Grace," Purple Heart advised his assistant, "What really matters is what we **do **know already. I haven't come this far just to quit on account of lack of experience. As long as we keep the Princess comfortable and intently monitor the progress of her child, this process will have a successful conclusion."

"You're right, Doctor," Celestia remarked in agreement, sitting up a bit, "If I must go through this for another few hours, so be it. The pain is overwhelming, but for my sake and my child's sake, I will tolerate it."

Purple Heart grinned and said "That's the spirit, Your Highness. I can promise you with 100 percent certainty that it will not be long before you'll be carrying your child in your hooves instead of your womb. Just listen to my instructions, and everything will turn out fine for you and your foal."

Purple Heart was true to his word. A little more than two hours later, Celestia gave birth to a son. He was an average-sized foal with a gold coat, a maroon mane, and silver eyes. He also had a small horn on his forehead and a tiny pair of wings on his back. To Celestia's delight, he was an Alicorn just like her.

Celestia had been lying flat on her stomach to give birth, and she had been stuck in that position for almost two-thirds of the day. Grace Giver helped her get into a much more comfortable position on her bed while Purple Heart gave her foal a quick health exam. When he was done, he informed Celestia that her son was perfectly healthy. Then he wrapped the newborn in a blanket and gave him to his mother.

Celestia had seen plenty of babies throughout her lifetime, but she had never given them much thought. Words could not even begin to describe the sudden love she felt for the one in her hooves. She had not even known him for a half-hour, and he already meant so much to her.

"Congratulations, Your Highness," Purple Heart said to his ruler.

"Thank you, Doctor," Celestia declared, her gaze still fixed on her newborn son, "This would not have been possible without you and Grace."

"It was our pleasure, Princess," Grace Giver assured her, "Have you decided on a name yet?"

"Not yet," she responded, "I must admit; I have not really given it much thought. I wanted to wait until the foal was born so I would know the gender."

"Makes sense," Grace Giver commented, "Whenever you've decided, be sure to let us know. Otherwise we won't be able to write out his birth certificate properly. After all, what good would it be without a name?"

"I suppose I cannot dispute that point," Celestia remarked. There was a brief period of silence in the room. Then she told the physicians "Unless there's anything else, I would like to be alone with my child for a little while."

"Certainly, Your Highness," Purple Heart assured her. He and Grace Giver began gathering up their equipment, and then he stated "If you or your son need anything, you may summon us at any time. We'll be on reserve for you in the medical wing."

"Very well," Celestia acknowledged.

Purple Heart and Grace Giver moved away from the bed and approached the entrance of the room. Grace Giver pushed open the door and stepped outside first. She held the door open for her boss. However, he did not pass through the doorframe. He told her "You go on ahead, Grace. There's something I wish to discuss with Her Majesty in private."

"Alright, Doctor," the Nurse complied, "In that case, I'll see you in the medical wing."

Purple Heart nodded his head and closed the door. Then he turned back to his ruler and walked back over to her. Celestia noted a bit of concern in his eyes and asked him "Is there something on your mind, Doctor?"

"Forgive me, Your Highness," he implored her, "I know that you are under no obligation to hear my questions, and that you have every right to refuse to answer them, but there is something that I would like to know."

"What might that be?" Celestia asked curiously.

Purple Heart did not respond straightaway. He spent some time contemplating how to present his inquiry. Part of him was impelled to be discreet, but he ultimately decided it would be best if he was straightforward. For a moment, he casually gazed off to the side. Then he took a deep breath, returned his attention to Celestia, and inquired "Who's the father?"

Celestia was expecting him to ask this question. Out of courtesy for her, Purple Heart had avoided asking it during the course of her pregnancy. Still, she knew that she would inevitably have to discuss this topic was somepony else. Now that her foal was born, Purple Heart figured there was no need for her to remain silent about it.

All the same, Celestia hesitated. From her perspective, she had every reason to do so. She looked down at her son, and gazed lovingly into his silver irises. Then she turned back to Purple Heart and told him directly "You would not believe me if I told you."

Purple Heart raised an eyebrow in interest, and then he observed "That's a most peculiar response, Your Highness. I was expecting you to either tell me the father's name or insist that it was none of my business."

"It's still the truth," Celestia informed him, "I can assure you that this was not an instance of asexual reproduction, Doctor. My child does indeed have a father, but I am not certain it would be wise to reveal his identity just yet."

"Well, the choice to do so is yours entirely, Princess," Purple Heart reminded her, "If you do not wish to tell me, I understand. All the same, my job requires that I inquire about the colt's father. I can assure you that I respect doctor-patient confidentiality as much as I respect you. If you do tell me, you have my solemn vow that I will never pass that information on to another soul for as long as I live."

"I believe you, Doctor," stated Celestia, "So believe me when I say that I trust you with my life. However, there are certain elements surrounding this matter that you are unaware of. I must take these elements into consideration before I can open up on it to anyone. Let me be alone with my son until tomorrow morning. By the time I've chosen a name for him, I will have decided whether or not I will tell you who fathered him."

Purple Heart was content with this arrangement. "As you wish, Your Majesty. As I said, it is your decision."

Celestia nodded in acknowledgment and told her physician "You may go now."

Purple Heart bowed his head in respect and departed from the chamber without another word spoken.

…

Later that night, Princess Celestia was still on her bed. Now she was lying on her back, staring upwards at the canopy. She had risen the moon a few hours earlier; the vast majority of her subjects were already asleep or in bed. However, Celestia doubted that she would be getting very much sleep herself that night. While she was still aching and exhausted from her elongated labor, she was too preoccupied with other affairs to worry about something as mundane as sleep. All she could do was ponder and reflect.

One might think that the whole of Equestria would be celebrating the birth of her son. They probably would be… if his birth was public knowledge. In actuality, almost no one in the entire country even knew of his existence. Celestia had no husband, no mate, no lover; not even a consort. Her child had been the product of a free union. To avoid creating a scandal, Celestia had taken steps to ensure that as few ponies as possible were aware of her pregnancy. This would have been difficult enough if she had been an ordinary mare. But as the undisputed ruler of Equestria, covering up her condition was nearly impossible.

The average gestation period in a mare of any race was between 330 and 345 days. Unicorns tended to give birth earlier, as the magic in their blood slightly sped up the rate of development. Pegasi normally gave birth later, as they need more time to grow their wings. Earth Ponies typically foaled in the middle of this interval, which was one of the reasons why they were the strongest of the three major races. However, there are some equine pregnancies that last almost an entire year. Celestia's was one such case. Another week and her son would have been born on the same day he had been conceived.

During the first four months of her pregnancy, Celestia managed to conceal the bump on her own. From the fifth month onward, it gradually became more conspicuous. To get around this, she wore long, loose dresses whenever she was in the company of her subjects. She had a few close calls with some of the more "casual" members of the Canterlot elite, but this ploy worked until the middle of the eighth month. By then, not even her most spacious gown could hide her bump. Fortunately, she had another solution at her disposal; she was a master of illusion spells. Every time she went outside the castle, she cast one on her abdomen to make it appear as smooth as it had been before. No one ever found out.

Hiding the bump was actually the easiest part. The other symptoms of pregnancy were a touch more difficult to deal with. Often she became disoriented or nauseous, sometimes whilst in public. She was more liable to become agitated or provoked, which posed a serious problem whenever she got into a heated discussion with the officers or bureaucrats. The most notable difference was her change in appetite, primarily her fondness for cake. She had always had a weakness for cake, but during her pregnancy, she acquired an unnatural craving for the delicacy. This desire was so extreme that she had her chefs serve nothing but the confectionary at the Grand Galloping Gala. Most of the cooks were confused by this unusual request, but the head chef, Haute Cuisine, made certain that his subordinates obeyed her wish.

Haute Cuisine was amongst the top five chefs in Equestria, and he was one of the few ponies that Celestia had entrusted with the secret of her pregnancy. He had organized a long-term meal plan for her so that both she and her foal would receive proper nutrition until the latter was born. She had followed the eating schedule to the best of her ability, but she still slipped in an extra piece of cake every now and then.

Near the start of her gravidity, she had the finest carpenter in Canterlot construct a special crib that could accommodate a baby Alicorn. This carpenter, a stallion named Wood Reaper, was another person that was aware of Celestia's condition. He had installed the crib in her room a couple months earlier. It was positioned about a meter to the left of the front of her bed.

She shifted her body ninety degrees counterclockwise and rested on her side so that she was directly facing the crib. Right now, her son was sound asleep in it. He looked so peaceful. So calm. So innocent. So gorgeous. When she first discovered she was carrying him, Purple Heart had indirectly proposed an "alternative" to going ahead with the pregnancy. Celestia had immediately shot down this option; she refused to even acknowledge that Purple Heart had suggested. However, several times throughout the course of her pregnancy, she was somewhat compelled to question the plausibility of her decision. Now that she had brought him into the world, she felt no regrets. In fact, despite how many mixed feelings she had about the whole situation, she found herself looking forward to what the future would hold for her and her child. She could imagine parenthood would not be easy. Then again, neither was leading a kingdom.

Of course, there were still two things that had to be resolved. Firstly, she needed to decide on a name for her son. This was relatively simple to accomplish. In the time since Purple Heart had left her room, Celestia had considered several ideal names for her son. She was not going to select one until she addressed the second matter as well. However, this item of business was quite a bit more complex than the first one, and unlike the first one, she could not solve it on her own.

In the midst of the silence, her son slowly woke up. He started wailing softly. Celestia reacted immediately. She sat up, scooted closer to the crib, raised her right hoof, and delicately stroked her son's forehead. She cooed gently "Shhhh… it's alright, my dear. It's alright. Mother is here for you."

Her son was not hungry, cold, or uncomfortable. He was just scared. Of what, it would be hard to say. Fortunately, his mother's caresses and words had a soothing effect on him. He continued crying for about twenty seconds, but after that, he gradually eased down. Celestia continued to rub his forehead even after he stopped, just to ensure that he was nice and relaxed.

A minute later, Celestia thought she felt a gust of wind pass through the room. It was indeed wind, but it was not an actual breeze. Naturally produced wind would have felt cool and it would have flown in at a steady pace. The wind that struck her back was dry and only lasted for a few seconds. It was the type of airwave that is produced when something or someone lands on the ground. Without even turning around, Celestia could tell that something – or rather, somepony – had in fact landed on the balcony to her room.

Keeping her gaze focused on the crib, she uttered over her shoulder "I was beginning to think you would not show."

"My apologies for being so late," a deep voice responded from behind, "I thought it best to wait until the last patrol passed through before I approached you."

Celestia lightly scoffed and remarked "Fortunately for you, I'm a very patient mare."

"I know you are," stated the deep voice, "Fortunately for you, I'm even more patient. If I had to wait any longer for those patrols to leave, I probably would have come here anyway, regardless of whether or not they were still in the vicinity."

"That would have been very foolish of you," she pointed out, "The night patrols are very by-the-book. They view any unauthorized flyers as trespassers, and they treat them as such. If just one of my guards spotted you, it would have only taken about five seconds for at least twenty of them to surround you."

"It would have been worth it, as long as I got to see you," he insisted.

Celestia lightly chuckled at this blunt statement. Then she rose to her feet and turned to the wall that faced the right side of her bed. Standing right there on the balcony was a stallion immersed in shadow. He was slightly taller than her, he had a long horn on his forehead which emanated a slight mauve aura, and he had a massive pair of wings which had cumulative wingspan of more than two meters. He was a male Alicorn. Because of his stance relative to the moonlight in the background, all Celestia could make out from her position was his silhouette. But she could plainly see that he was smiling at her.

She smiled as well and trotted over to him. She wrapped both her front legs around his shoulders. He wrapped his own front legs around her shoulders as well, and the two of them embraced warmly. They remained in that position for about fifteen seconds.

When they pulled apart, Celestia looked up into the stallion's mauve irises. She told him "Even though you managed to avoid detection, you still took a dangerous risk coming here."

"You're worth more than a few risks, my Princess," the male Alicorn contended as he retracted his wings, "Nothing could have kept me away from you. Nothing. Especially on tonight of all nights."

"That's one thing I love about you," Celestia told him, "You're so persistent."

"Is that the **only** thing?" he asked cheekily.

"What do you think?" she retorted in an equally cheeky fashion.

"In my opinion, I must have some other admirable qualities," he declared, "And even if I didn't, I'm certain I've given you something else that you can appreciate."

"Indeed you have," she confirmed. She gestured over to her bed and offered the male Alicorn "Come; let me show him to you."

He grinned eagerly and told her "That's why I came here; to see him."

"Oh, I thought you came here to see me," she wittily remarked.

"I'm here to see both of you," he clarified.

Celestia led her companion over to the crib. When they arrived in front of it, they saw that the foal's eyes were closed, but he was breathing regularly, so he was still awake. The male Alicorn studied the newborn colt closely. He remained grinning and perceived "He's beautiful… almost as beautiful as you."

"Thank you, but I hope you're concentrating on more than just his appearance," Celestia stated.

"Oh, I am," he guaranteed her, "He seems to be quite healthy. That's rather fortunate, considering how long it's taken you to have a child. After 975 years of ruling this land by yourself, you have finally started a suitable line of succession. Even better is the fact that he has both wings and a horn. He must be the first Alicorn born in… how long?"

"Well, it hasn't been that long since a female Alicorn was born," Celestia announced, "However, I'd say he's the first male Alicorn born in well over a millennium. Our son is like a bronze star in a sky full of dim ones."

The shadowy stallion scoffed at that last statement. She turned to him and asked curiously "Is there something amusing?"

"I like the way you say that; 'our son,'" he enlightened her, "It has a lovely ring to it."

"You know, if you really do enjoy it that much, it could stay that way," Celestia proposed.

Up until this point, the stallion had retained a very upbeat expression on his face. But after that last statement, his grin faltered and in its place he bore a much more stern countenance. He gradually directed his head towards Celestia and muttered austerely, "We've been over this, and we agreed that that is not a viable option."

Celestia turned to him with a bit of an annoyed appearance on her own face. She stated "I know you've resisted this idea since the first time I suggested it, but I still think it deserves some more discussion. Tell me again, why are you so opposed to going public with your role in this matter?"

"I've given you three very valid reasons why, my dear," the male Alicorn elucidated, "For one, we have radically different social standings. You are the solemn ruler of Equestria. Aside from you, no one else even knows that I'm alive. Imagine how that would look to the common folk: a complete stranger appears out of nowhere, and inseminates their princess. They would burn me at the stake for that."

"As long as I vouched for you, no one would dare lay a hoof on you," Celestia swore to him.

"I have no doubt of that, but there are two more factors we must account for," the male Alicorn went on, "Secondly, how would you plan on breaking the news of our involvement to the public? Especially after hiding your… condition from everypony for this long?"

"I've written a speech that tells our whole story," Celestia apprised him, "It covers everything. How we first met, how we became affiliated, how I sought you out for counsel, how our relationship became more than professional, and how… this little colt was the result of it. I'll also include our reasons for keeping all of this a secret."

"When would you present this speech?" asked the male Alicorn.

"Ideally, as soon as possible," Celestia decreed, "Tomorrow, perhaps. Now that our child has been born, we have no reason to keep this quiet for any longer."

"Not everypony may be so willing to discover the truth," he theorized, "In the long run, it would probably be better for all of us if the nature of our relationship – as well as its existence – remained a secret between the two of us. Aside from that, our son's relative well-being should remain our primary concern here. It is highly likely that our coming forward could somehow pose a threat to him."

"I realize that," she admitted, "However, I'm confident that it would be much better if we came forth with the story ourselves, rather than let somepony else discover it on their own accord. Without us to properly illustrate the events as they happened, anypony who stumbled upon it by themselves might get a terribly wrong impression and present the story in the wrong image to the public. If that was to happen, we'd have a massive scandal on our hooves that effected every level of our culture."

"Trust me, a scandal is the last thing I'd want to create," he insisted, "However, if we may have one on our hooves either way. Have you been listening to your subjects' friendly banter?"

"No, I have not," Celestia replied, "Unless their conversations include information vital to local or national security, I do not make it my business to pick up on gossip. Why do you ask?"

"There have been rumors spreading all throughout the land," he informed her.

"Rumors?" she repeated in confusion.

"Yes, rumors," he confirmed, "They began about seven months ago. While you may have successfully hidden your pregnancy from everypony, the changes in your behavior and mannerisms did not go unnoticed. They've become quite a source for gossip."

"How bad are these… rumors?" she uneasily enquired.

"Most of them revolve around the theory that you are ill or fatigued," he responded, "Some have hypothesized that you are seeing someone, but as far as I can tell, they have no clue that it's me. A couple others have even suggested that you are dying."

"Dying?" she remarked. "That's about as far away from the truth as they could get. Not only am I very much alive, but I've also created a new life."

"Still, you could have fooled them," he told her candidly, "Although I did not approach the castle until a few minutes ago, I arrived on the outskirts of Canterlot very early this morning and I waited there for most of the day. Even from that distance, I thought I could hear your screams during the birth-giving process. There was so much… anguish in them. Occasionally, it sounded as though you were actually dying."

"Well, I was trying to give birth to a fifteen-pound colt over a period of as many hours," Celestia sarcastically disclosed, "Did you think he would just teleport out of me or something?"

"Of course not," he assured her, "I was not expecting it to be an easy birth, anyway. But that's not the point; let's not get off-topic."

"I don't think we are," she debated, "Now that the pregnancy has run its course, there is no need for any more rumors to be generated. The rumors that are already out there are very much controllable. I say we take advantage of that and clear up all the ambiguities while we can."

"If our only problems were our social standings and that, I would be more than willing to go along with your speech," he assured her, "However there is still one more issue that we must account for. This third one is the most critical, and I am quite certain there is very little anypony can do about it. That includes you and me."

Celestia sighed in annoyance and thought aloud "Are we seriously having **this** conversation again?"

"Yes, we are," he flatly remarked, "I know we've had it several times over, but I feel we should have it once more."

"There's literally nothing we can say about this topic that hasn't already been said," Celestia argued.

"Then apparently, I haven't emphasized the severity of it enough," the male Alicorn proclaimed, "Princess, earlier on, I referred to myself as a 'complete stranger' to Equestria. This whole mess probably would have been far less complicated if I really **was **a complete stranger to this land. Unfortunately for both of us, I'm not."

Celestia stepped up to her companion, looked up into his eyes, and asked him somewhat irately "Why do you insist on reflecting on the past?"

"Because I would be a monster if I just forgot all about what I did," he forthrightly declared.

"Everything you 'did,' you did centuries ago," Celestia disputed, "Nopony who's alive today was around when that happened. Not even me. Don't you think you have punished yourself for those actions long enough?"

"There are some crimes that can never be forgiven by the passage of time," he countered, "And some that cannot be atoned for by any means. You must believe me when I say it would be for the best if I remained in hiding."

"I know that your actions generated a great deal of fear and controversy, but I have no reservations about your past deeds," she affirmed, "It was an impossible decision, and while it might not have been the moral thing to do, it was still the ethical thing to do."

"Tell that to the descendants of the victims," he snapped back. "It would be bad enough if they knew I was still living. You cannot even begin to comprehend how disastrous it would be if they discovered a… monster was courting their leader."

"You are not a monster!" Celestia asserted, "You are a benevolent and honorable stallion. Now listen to me; if you continue living in isolation, I am absolutely certain that you will go mad. You may have lasted this long, but I know for a fact that you will lose your mind eventually. I've seen it happen before."

"I know you have, and I wouldn't wish that on anyone," the Alicorn revealed, "However, Princess, you must understand something. I don't **care** what happens to me. As of right now, my only concern is for the well-being of you and our son."

"If you honestly love him, why would you just leave him?" Celestia demanded.

"To protect him, and to protect you," he responded, "You must realize that not everypony is as forgiving as you. If you vouch for me and give that speech, you may be able to win many of your subjects over. But there is no way you'd be able to convince all of them. Some will definitely see me as the same horror I once was. Worse yet, they may even be led to think that you betrayed them. I'm sorry, but I cannot risk setting any of the fallout on you."

Celestia absorbed his words. As much as she wanted to persuade him that he was needlessly worried, she could not deny the authenticity in his argument. Earlier on, she had told him that she admired his persistence. This was one situation when she actually dreaded it. Once he made a decision, there was very little she could do to sway his mind.

She inhaled deeply and exhaled steadily. Then she stated "If you honestly believe this is for the best, then I understand. It's just… well…"

Celestia stared at the far wall for about thirty seconds, but the male Alicorn kept his focus on her face. He noticed a single tear came to her eye. He took a step closer to her, rubbed the tear away, and queried "What is is?"

Celestia sniffed once, and then spoke her thoughts to him with a note of sadness in her voice "How do you suppose this would look? I conceived a child out of wedlock, went to incredible lengths to keep his existence a secret, and I cannot even reveal the identity of his father to anyone. The people will think I'm some type of harlot."

"Do not ever say that!" the Alicorn snapped, placing his right front hoof on her shoulder, "You are a wonderful mare. You've governed this land for centuries. You've been pivotal in averting countless crises. To call you a harlot… that would be an abomination."

"Then what must I do?" she inquired, another tear coming to her eye, "If you have a better idea, I'll consider it."

"I actually do have a few potential solutions," he explicated.

"Such as?" she inquired.

There was a brief moment of quietness, and then the male Alicorn asked "How many people were even aware of your pregnancy?"

Celestia answered straightaway "Haute Cuisine, Wood Reaper, Purple Heart, Grace Giver, and a dozen of the Royal Guard."

"Anypony else?" he asked

"No, just them," Celestia avowed, "They're all honest mares and stallions; they wouldn't tell anypony else without my consent."

"Perhaps you could keep this matter limited to those sixteen ponies," he proposed, "After all, this is a big castle; more than enough room to privately raise a foal in."

"It isn't that big," Celestia contradicted him, "If you're suggesting that I keep our son hidden in here, you can forget about that idea. I cannot hold anyone prisoner in this castle, especially not my own child. Even if I tried, somepony outside of my inner circle would most certainly catch on sooner or later."

"In that case, you could claim you decided to adopt a foal," he proposed "After all, after centuries of being by yourself with no one to personally care for, nopony could blame you."

"That might work if he was an Earth Pony, a Unicorn, or a Pegasus," she irately remarked, "But how many people would believe that any orphanage in Equestria had a baby Alicorn in its care?"

"Didn't you use an illusion spell to hide your bump?" he pointed out, "You could use another one to conceal his wings or his horn. Or both."

"Out of the question," she firmly declared, "I have nothing against the other types of ponies, but if I did that to our son, I would be taking away something that makes him unique. He's the only male Alicorn to be born in over a thousand years. Aside from that, we'd just be creating another secret, another lie. I'm **done **with all these secrets and lies."

The Alicorn sighed in frustration and uttered "Then we only have two other options available. I could take him from here and raise him on my own."

"I'm sure we can both agree that that idea would never work," Celestia proclaimed, "For one thing, Purple Heart and the others would demand to know what happened to him. There's nothing that suggests they would all believe me. It would also be yet one more secret and one more lie we could do without. Plus, I did not carry him in my womb for almost a year just to abandon him. He's Canterlot Royalty, not something to be given away or cast out."

"You're right," he concurred, "In addition to that, he shouldn't be forced to live the life of an outcast. As someone who has lived that life for centuries, I would know that it is far from glamorous or desirable. To tell you the truth, I didn't have a lot of faith in this idea to begin with. I just wanted to acknowledge it as a possibility, in case we couldn't decide on a better one."

"So what's your final scheme?" she asked in interest.

"You can rewrite your speech," he recommended, "Erase any mention of me from it, and keep the focus on you and our child. You can simply refuse to tell the public about the father's identity."

"What if the people won't accept that?" Celestia conjectured.

"They'll have to," he insisted, "You're the leader of this country. You do not have to answer to anypony. If you're so confident that they'll understand your reasons for hiding your pregnancy, then logically, they should also understand your reasons for hiding the name of the stallion responsible for it."

Celestia spent a few minutes thinking about his argument. So far, this idea sounded safer and more useful than any of the others. After all, her companion was correct in that she had the exclusive right to deny answers to any questions, regardless of who asked them. He had convinced her that it would be wise to keep his existence a secret, and she had convinced him that it would be a huge mistake if she kept quiet about their son's existence. It would appear they had finally found an ideal solution.

"Alright, I suppose this arrangement could work," Celestia thought aloud, "However, there is something I'd like to know. What would you do?"

"I would simply go back into hiding," he openly informed her, "Not indefinitely, but at least until we have everything resolved. It would be for the best if no one ever knew I'm the father. Not even our son."

Celestia glared at him, as if to say "Seriously?" Of course, she did not even have to ask that question to know the answer. She merely nodded her head and stated "Alright, we'll play it out like that. However, I cannot guarantee the long-term effectiveness of that idea. It may work for a while, but eventually, somepony is going to start investigating. For all we know, our son may be that 'somepony.'"

"I wouldn't be surprised of that," the male Alicorn admitted, "Especially if he inherited your sense of curiosity."

She smirked at him and commented "It was my sense of curiosity that led me to you in the first place."

"I know," he remarked, "If he does have your curiosity, as well as my so-called 'persistence,' he will inevitably start searching for the truth at some point."

"If that does happen, what should I do?" Celestia inquired.

"Just let him search," he advised her, "You can refuse to tell him, but it would be wrong to keep him from learning the truth on his own."

"Now that is something we can both agree on," Celestia perceived, "Until he actually does start looking, I presume you will want me to avoid mentioning you to him or anypony else?"

"That is correct," was all he said in response.

There was another interval of silence in the room. Finally, the male Alicorn gazed into Celestia's eyes and told her "I suppose I've lingered here long enough. I should be leaving now."

She nodded her head solemnly in understanding. Then she asked "When will I see you again?"

"I don't know," he confessed, "But I can promise you this is not good-bye. I give you my word."

"I believe you," she told him, "Just stay safe out there."

"Don't worry about me," he asserted, I'd successfully avoided detection for hundreds of years."

"Well, **I** found you," she reminded him.

"Yes, but I would have been a fool to think I could hide from you forever," he countered.

"That's why I know you'll come back," she added in, "Because otherwise, I'll just come to you."

The stallion remained smiling and he placed his front hooves on the regal mare's cheeks. He brought her face closer to his and kissed her passionately on the lips. They remained in that position for well over a minute, and both of them savored every second of that connection.

When they pulled apart, the stallion released Celestia. He then turned his attention to the crib. He stepped up to it, leaned down, and kissed his son on his forehead, just above his horn. The foal stirred a bit, but he did not make a sound. The Alicorn whispered softly, "I hope to someday speak to you face-to-face, my son. Until that day comes, be strong and do right by your mother. I love you both so much."

Then he regained his full height, walked around the bed, and stepped back onto the balcony. He expanded his wings, but just before he could take off, Celestia called out "Wait!"

He turned back to her and asked "What?"

"There's still one thing we did not discuss," she informed him, "His name."

"Oh, you're right," he agreed. He looked off to the side for a moment to think, and then he told her "I have one in mind. Earlier on, you referred to him as 'a bronze star in a sky full of dim ones.' Why not go with that?"

"'Bronze Star?'" she assumed.

He nodded his head in validation. "What do you think?"

Celestia grinned and replied with "I like it. It has a wondrous tone to it."

He nodded his head again. Then he uttered "Until next we met. I love you, my Princess."

"And I love you, my Lord," she replied.

The male Alicorn turned to his front and looked around at the sky. To his relief, the patrols were still away from this side of the castle. He began vigorously flapping his wings, and then he rose up from the balcony and flew off into the night. Celestia watched him as he faded into the distance. Then she turned around and headed back into her chamber.

Now she was left alone with her son once more. She approached her bed and laid down on it. It only took a few seconds for her to get comfortable. As she laid there, she thought about everything she had discussed with her clandestine paramour. There were still many issues that she had to deal with on her own. For starters, she would have to rewrite her speech and present it to the common people. Then she would have to confront the public's reaction.

However, she was now fairly confident that she could manage the situation. At the very least, she was much more confident than she had been an hour earlier. Tomorrow she could deal with her problems. For now, she just wanted to put aside her worries and rest.

When she was relaxed, Celestia turned to the crib, and she saw that her son had fallen back asleep. She softly uttered "Sleep well, my sweet Prince Bronze Star."

A little while later, she joined her child in a blissful slumber.


	2. The Warrior And The Prince

**Twenty-five years later**

It was the day before the annual Summer Sun Celebration. All the inhabitants of Equestria were busy preparing for their most cherished holiday. The residents of Canterlot were especially looking forward to the ceremony, as this year marked its 1000th anniversary. Every building and street was finely adorned with decorations. Merchants were selling rare goods from all over the land at special discounts. Many of the laborers had been given the day off from work to spend time with their families. Basically, the whole of the capital city was bustling with benign activity.

With one lone exception.

Although the town itself was very much crowded with vacationers and natives, the castle was relatively empty. Around half of the Royal Guard had been given the day off. The other half would be given the following day off, but for the present, they were all on-duty. However, there were not enough of them to cover the entire castle with the normal level of security they used. Since they were spread so thin, they had to close off certain sections of the castle and classify them as restricted until further notice. They would remain closed down until the Summer Sun Celebration ended.

On a normal day, at least fifteen of the Royal Guard patrolled every section of the castle. In the ten restricted sections, there were only four guards apiece. All forty of them had been instructed to closely monitor any and all signs of motion throughout the hallways. It was already the early afternoon and as far as they could tell, nothing out of the ordinary had happened.

One of these restricted sections included the Starswirl the Bearded Wing. Two of the guards in that section were posted near the entrance to that secret chamber. One of them was stationary; the other was pacing through the adjoining hallways.

So far, the pacing guard had passed by the stationary guard six times in the past two hours. It took him five minutes to pass through each of the four corridors surrounding the Wing; twenty minutes altogether. That was twenty minutes down to the second. His immobile partner would know; he had timed him just for fun. Sure enough, one of his rotations around the Wing took **exactly** twenty minutes.

However, the stationary guard was beginning to think he had lost track of time. Because unless he had miscounted, it had been twenty-six minutes since he had last seen his partner. He was six minutes overdue, soon to be seven in a few seconds. That struck him as rather odd. He knew his partner very well; he was not one to idle or deviate from his routine. At least not without checking in first. If he had spotted anything abnormal and chosen to engage it, he would have sounded the alarm first.

After waiting for another three minutes, the motionless guard decided he had waited long enough. Somepony had to take action. Since the other two guards in this section were over a hundred yards away, he took it upon himself to investigate.

He stepped away from the entrance to the Wing and trotted down the corridor. When he arrived at the end of it, he made a right turn and proceeded down the next corridor. Unlike the previous passage, there were no windows in this one, so it was covered in almost complete darkness. The guard had to squint his eyes to see clearly in front of him.

Just before he reached the end of the corridor, he stumbled over something. Something rather large and rough. The guard paused to examine the object. After a moment, he noticed something perplexing: the object appeared to be moving. It also seemed to be emanating a very soft airstream sound, almost as if it was respiring. The guard used his horn to conjure up a beam of light and he directed it towards the object on the ground. It took him less than a moment to realize what, or rather who, it was. When he did, he jumped back in alarm.

His partner was lying sprawled out on the ground. His eyes were closed and he had a huge abrasion on his forehead, as if someone had struck him there with a blunt instrument. He was not dead, but he was definitely unconscious; somebody had knocked him out cold. The other guard was so preoccupied by the sight of his defeated associate that he did not even hear the sound of very light hoofsteps coming up behind him.

The guard was about to run off to warn his colleagues. But before he could so much as turn around, he was seized from behind by a figure. Despite his alarm at this sudden burst of activity, the guard had been trained to deal with these situations. He reached behind himself and attempted to grip his attacker by the neck. Unfortunately for him, the attacker had expected him to resist. With his left front leg, he took ahold of the guard's free front leg. Then he wrapped his right front leg around the guard's neck. Once he had a firm grip, he pulled back hard. The guard put up a valiant struggle, but his assailant had the upper hoof on him. No matter how hard the guard tried to resist, his attacker would not relent.

After about thirty seconds, the guard succumbed to a lack of oxygen and passed out. When the shadowy figure noticed he was out, he released his grip and carefully lowered the stallion to the ground. After this, he turned around and headed to the end of the corridor. He moved very quickly, but he was so nimble and stealthy that he barely made any noise at all.

When he arrived at the end of the hallway, he peaked his head out and looked in both directions. After ascertaining that the coast was clear, he turned to the right and sprinted down the next corridor. There were no candles in any of these hallways, but there was one window. The figure ran directly past it, and a small amount of light shined over him for a fraction of a second. Anyone who looked through the window at just the right moment would have gotten a good glimpse of him, and they would have been able to tell three things about him. For one, he was completely covered in black. He had a black vest, a black jacket, black pants, black boots, and a black mask. He also wore a black saddle bag and a black belt with an assortment of tools. However, this was the least interesting of his three notable aspects. The other two were far more intriguing, especially when put together. There were two parts of his body – aside from his eyes – that were not covered in black. One was his forehead, and the other was his back. This was because he had a horn on the former, and a pair of wings on the latter. He was an Alicorn.

He ran for a few dozen more meters, and once he entered the next restricted section of the castle, he halted. He quietly backed up against a wall and removed a scroll from his saddle bag. He unrolled the scroll, and then he used his horn to conjure up a bit of light. He held the paper close to his eyes so that he could examine its contents.

It was a roster of the guards who were on duty in the restricted sections during the afternoon. There were check marks next to the first twenty-three names. The Alicorn took a small pen from his belt and used it to place a check mark next to the twenty-fourth name. Then he put the pen away, rolled the scroll back up, and extinguished his light. As he put the scroll back into his saddle bag, he whispered to himself with a note of satisfaction "Twenty-four down, sixteen to go."

He was referring to the forty members of the Royal Guard who were scattered throughout the ten restricted sections. So far, he had already disabled two dozen of them, meaning he had cleared out six whole sections without compromising his cover. He just needed to clear out four more sections and his objective would be accomplished.

"Next stop, the Astronomy Wing," he elected.

The following section was not as large as the Starswirl the Bearded Wing, but it was quite a bit more precarious. The Alicorn felt it would be wise to get to a higher position before he went on any further. He spread his wings and began robustly beating them. Then he gradually elevated into the air until he covered about two-thirds of the distance between the floor and the ceiling. Then he flew on silently towards the next section.

When he arrived there, he quickly spotted one of this section's guards near the base of a staircase. Throwing caution to his movements, he hovered overhead for a few seconds and concentrated on the ground. Then without any warning whatsoever, he dived towards the guard with impressive speed. It took the Alicorn less than five seconds to take ahold of the guard, swiftly knock him out, and land steadily on the ground.

He spent a minute studying his new surroundings, and he soon noticed something odd. He commented quietly "Hmmm… this is strange. Why would he be stationed down here in the first place? There are plenty of good lookout spots in this Wing, but this is definitely not one of them. You can barely see anything from here."

He was in fact correct. From the base of the staircase, very little was visible from any angle. However, from the platform at the top of the staircase, one could clearly discern everything on the ground below. This included the base itself.

At this time, another of this section's guards had arrived at this platform. He spent a few seconds looking around in various directions, and eventually, he happened to gaze straight down. Despite the fact that the ground floor was covered in almost complete darkness, he could clearly tell that his colleague was down there. After looking a little closer, he also noticed that his comrade was not alone.

"You there, halt!" the guard bellowed.

The Alicorn immediately shifted his focus upward. The guard at the top of the staircase had already stared descending the staircase. The figure in black did not panic; he merely uttered under his breath in agitation "I should've known it wouldn't be this easy."

He had hoped to get through his mission whilst remaining totally undetected, but apparently that was no longer an option. However, he did not allow this unforeseen complication to worry him. He would simply adapt to any and all new difficulties. At this moment, he had two options: to engage the guard in combat, or to flee from the scene. He knew how the guards worked; if he started running from one of them, the guard would not break off pursuit until he caught the intruder. Unfortunately, the Alicorn did not feel that his other option was not much more appealing. If he stayed around to fight the guard off, he would risk creating too much noise and alerting the other guards in the vicinity.

He had to pick between his two options very soon, though; the guard would be upon him in less than half-a minute. Ten seconds later, he made his decision. He had not retracted his wings just yet, so he figured he may as well use them. He ascended into the air with great speed and intercepted the guard before he was even halfway down the stairwell. The guard attempted to overpower him, but the Alicorn was ready to deal with some resistance. After a few seconds, he slammed the guard against the wall and struck him across the neck. The effect was instantaneous; he knocked the guard out cold.

Unfortunately, as the Alicorn had anticipated, the struggle had generated quite a bit of noise. In the distance, he could hear voices. They were barely audible at first, but before long, he could discern certain phrases such as "What was that?" "Someone's being attacked!" "Sound the alarm!" "Shut this section down! Now!" From his position in the center of the staircase, he could tell that the voices were getting progressively closer to where he was.

"Dammit," the Alicorn muttered.

Although there were only two more guards in this section, it would not be long before reinforcements arrived. Once that happened, he would not be able to take on all of them by himself. He had no choice but to bolt from the scene before they spotted him.

He rose back into the air and ascended to the top of the staircase. Once he reached it, he alighted onto the platform and took off galloping down the corridor. Although he now felt a little anxious and tentative, he did not lose his composure. He made certain that his hoofsteps did not echo throughout the corridor, and he restricted his route to the shadows. Unfortunately, he could hear the faint sound of the hoofsteps approaching him from behind. The guards must have been on his trail.

Before long, he had entered the next restricted section. Shortly after this, he heard more hoofsteps, but these ones seemed to originate from somewhere in front of him. The figure in black quickly concluded that the guards in the Astronomy Wing must have already alerted the guards in the other sections, and now they were trying to create a perimeter to keep him contained. The hoofsteps sounded far away from him, but based on their gradually increasing volume and depth, they were coming at him fast.

The Alicorn quickly gathered that the guards were closing in on him from both directions. He might have had a chance of successfully eluding the guards for a while if he continued running, but eventually, he would be forced to enter a direct confrontation with them. The longer the chase lasted, the more likely that that would happen. His only other option was to hide. Although he did not like lingering in any one spot for too long, he figured it would be easier to devise another strategy if he did not have to concentrate on navigating through the castle's hallways as well. Of course, even if he did manage to disappear, the guards would keep searching for him until they found him or until they were convinced he was no longer in the castle.

After weighing the pros and cons of either option, the figure in black decided it would be a better idea to find a secure place to lay low. He stopped running and began looking all around the area for anything that could serve as a temporary refuge. Soon, he spotted an opening in the space between two suits of armor. He ambled over to the opening and peered into it. It was a little narrow, but it was wide enough to accommodate him.

He turned around so that he had his back to the opening and he slowly backed into it. He wanted to remain facing the corridor so that he could directly watch out for the guards. He walked backwards until he was about three meters in. Then he stopped and waited. Thirty seconds later, the guards from this section passed by the opening. None of them seemed to pay it any mind. The Alicorn listened as their hoofsteps grew fainter. However, he soon heard another bunch of hoofsteps approaching from the opposite direction. Twenty more seconds later, all the hoofsteps ceased at once. Apparently, the guards from the previous section had encountered the guards in this section.

"Did you see him?" one of them demanded.

"No, did you?" retorted another.

"Nope, other than us, this hallway is empty," a third declared.

"Where in Tartarus is he?" snapped another one.

"He should have been right here," another one proclaimed, "There's nowhere he could have gone. Nowhere."

"Well, spread out and find him!" the highest-ranking officer ordered the others, "Level this entire section if you have to!"

"Yes, sir!" the others acknowledged.

The Alicorn managed to overhear all these remarks. He took the last one as his cue to move on. He gazed over his left shoulder and his right shoulder, and he discovered that the opening was much deeper than he believed it to be. From his stance, the rest of the passage appeared to be totally clear.

He kept his gaze concentrated on the entrance to the passage and slowly backed further into it. Occasionally, he glanced over one or both of his shoulders to make certain he was in the clear, and every time, he confirmed that he was alone. Every now and then, one of the guards ran by the opening, but each of them seemed to ignore it completely. This struck him as a little bizarre. Their commander had instructed them to search everywhere in that section. He figured that one of them had to be observant enough to notice the passage.

Ultimately, he chose not to question his luck. It probably would have been wise if he had done so.

The Alicorn predicted that the passage had another entrance. Turns out it did. The passageway ran all the way into the next section. When he approached it, he gazed over his shoulder again. It appeared that nopony was there. However, because his wings were still expanded, they were blocking his line of sight. Somepony was standing directly in the center of the entrance, as if he was waiting for him. Like the Alicorn, he was also covered in shadow. Anyone standing by the stallion would only be able to determine two things about him: he was a Unicorn, and he clutched an object in his right front hoof.

When the figure in black reached the entrance, the second figure grabbed him from behind. Before the Alicorn had time to shake off his attacker, his attacker wrapped his left front leg around his upper body. Immediately after, he raised the object in his right front hoof up to the Alicorn's throat. The winged-and-horned stallion quickly realized that the object was a small knife.

"Not another move," the Unicorn warned him sternly, "You try **anything **and there will be blood. You understand that?"

The Alicorn was rather stunned that he had been caught off his guard. He managed to coax out "Yes… yes, alright. I understand. Who are you? One of the Royal Guard?"

"Unfortunately, no," the other stallion scornfully replied, "Unfortunate for you, I mean. I'm much, much worse than them. You see, the Royal Guard adhere to certain standards. They'd go to great length to capture you alive and unblemished. I, on the other hoof, have no problem with using more extreme methods to deal with intruders."

The Alicorn tentatively inquired "What do you mean by 'extreme?'"

The Unicorn grinned wickedly and raised his knife slightly. Then he stated "You see this fine piece of metal? It's one of my favorite 'tools.' Portable, durable, and very light. Its size and structure makes it ideal for this kind of work. You probably don't think I could inflict a great deal of damage with such a small blade, but trust me, I can."

"What are you going to do?" the figure in black apprehensively asked his attacker.

The Unicorn placed his knife back against the front of the Alicorn's neck and informed him "First, I'm going to make a shallow incision along the right side of your throat. Then I'll do the same on the left side. That alone could make you bleed out within five minutes. But I'm not stopping there. Oh, no; I'm just getting started. It just so happens that the tendons that connect your head to your shoulders are located in three distinctive places along your neck. Those are two of them. The third is right here."

When he said this last remark, he brought his knife around and placed it against the back of the Alicorn's throat. Then he went on: "After I've scored the sides of your neck, I'll plunge my weapon directly into the back of your neck. Then I'll dig in until I've cut through the top of your backbone. With those three simple moves, I could decapitate you."

The Alicorn took in everything the assailant told him. To say it made him feel uncomfortable would be an understatement. He was left speechless by these ruthless, ominous threats. There was no doubt in his mind that his attacker meant business.

"Now I don't want to do that to you," the assailant claimed, "But if you do not capitulate, I will."

"Alright, alright, I understand," the Alicorn declared, "What are your demands?"

"What happens next is your choice," the stallion told him, "So, tell me, what's the logical thing to do here? Are you going to surrender and keep your head? Or are you going to assume that I'm bluffing and risk finding out the hard way that I'm not?

The Alicorn did not answer straightaway. Initially, he was hoping to find another way out of this situation. He quickly recalled that the Royal Guard were still searching for him. If they happened to come across the pair, they would certainly want to arrest him, but they would not let the attacker harm a hair on his mane. That would even give him an opportunity to escape. After a few seconds of silence, he thought aloud "How about you give me some time to think?"

"So that my colleagues can find us?" the assailant presumed, "You can shake off that idea. I've given them orders to stay away from this area until I say otherwise. It's just you and me. You want time? You've got three seconds. Three, two, one… Okay, time's up. Do you give up or not?"

If he had any time, even fifteen seconds' worth, the Alicorn would have tried to think up another way out of this disaster. But the knife-wielder wanted a response and he wanted it now. So reluctantly, he chose to give in. The Alicorn dropped his tense façade and remarked drily "Fine, you win."

He did not sound nervous or agitated. Instead, he sounded rather disappointed. He was.

The Unicorn, however, was rather pleased. Almost immediately, he released his grip on the Alicorn, lowered his weapon, and smirked. Then he stated casually "Smart choice, Your Highness."

"Well, I know better than to screw with you, SIG," the Alicorn remarked, turning around to face the other stallion, "Especially since I know how proficient you really are with a knife."

"Yeah, if there's one thing I know, it's knives," the Unicorn commented.

"As well as how to scare the living daylights out of people," the Alicorn added in as he retracted his wings, "For a second or two there, I thought you were actually going to chop my head off if I didn't yield."

"I wouldn't dare do that," the Unicorn assured him, "I'd never harm you, sir. Never. Surely you know me well enough by now to be certain of that."

"I know you wouldn't, SIG," said the Alicorn, "But still, you sounded as though you meant serious freakin' business when you went into graphic detail about how to decapitate a pony."

"I apologize if I startled you, Your Highness," the Unicorn affirmed, "But I had to sound authentic so that you would take my threat seriously. An actual hostile would have spared you the description of what he planned to do and just gone ahead and done it."

"Well, in that case, it's a good thing there aren't any 'real' hostiles here today," the Alicorn observed.

"Speaking of which, the others are still waiting on us," the Unicorn realized. He sheathed his knife into a belt he wore around his waist. Then he turned out into the hallway and called out "Okay, everypony, stand down! Training session's over! Get the lights on!"

From the end of the corridor, a gruff voice pronounced "You heard him; lights on, people!"

Over the next few minutes, a great deal of natural and artificial light filled the corridors in all ten of the restricted sections. Once the area was fully illuminated, the Alicorn and the Unicorn proceeded down the hallway. The Unicorn was a middle-aged stallion with a pine green coat, an orange mane, and teal eyes. His cutie mark was a golden shield with a pair of silver swords crossing over it. His name was SIG Sauer. He was one of the best combat personnel in the whole of Equestria. He had a prolific career in the army, the Royal Guard, and several intelligence agencies. Although he no longer worked for any of these organizations, he was employed by the Canterlot Royalty in various capacities. Currently, he was functioning as the head recruits trainer. He supervised all the drills and programs for all the advanced military units when they were working out.

Before long, they had regrouped with the members of the Royal Guard that had been stationed in the restricted sections. All forty of these stallions had volunteered to be part of the drill. This "intruder" fiasco was all part of an elaborate test designed to hone their abilities to remain vigilant and ready to react. However, the person who was supposed to get the most out of the drill was the figure in black.

SIG Sauer turned to the Alicorn and noticed that he was still wearing his entire disguise, including his headgear. He stated informally "Sir, since the lights are on, you can take your mask off now."

"Oh, right," noted the Alicorn as he brought his front hooves up to the bottom of his mask. As he gripped the edges of the mask and pulled it up over his head, he perceived "I've had it on for so long that I almost forgot I was wearing it."

"I know the feeling," SIG informed him, "The longer you have it on, the more it feels like it's imbedded into your skin. I've carried out a few operations where I've had to wear a mask for a lot longer than a few hours. I've even gone as long as almost two full days wearing one."

"That's lovely, SIG," stated the Alicorn wryly. By this point, he had fully removed his mask. Everypony in the room could see his face now. He was a young stallion in his mid-twenties. He had a gold coat, a maroon mane, and silver eyes. Although he was an Alicorn, he was about the same height as the average member of the Royal Guard. He was Princess Celestia's son, Prince Bronze Star.

Bronze Star was as respected and adored as his mother by all the people in the land, especially the soldiers. Although he was not officially a recognized member of the Equestrian military, he played a role in most matters pertaining to national security and defense. He had a seat on his mother's Council, which was by no means a ceremonial position. He had most certainly earned his place there.

Ever since he was fifteen, he had been trained by SIG Sauer in many different tactics. He was well-versed in stealth, melee, defense spells, attack spells, hoof-to-hoof combat, martial arts, and several other fields. Ten years of devout soldierly training had certainly paid off. He was one of the most dexterous and prominent combatants in all of Equestria. He had even been given control of a Special Ops team called the Firebrand Regiment, which, in his opinion, was the finest private military group anypony had ever seen.

"How is it you're always the one that gets him, SIG?" one of the Royal Guard queried.

"Fine luck on my part, I presume, Hammer Shaft," the pine green stallion speculated.

Bronze Star rolled his eyes and cheekily said "Sure, SIG. From what I recall, you've consistently maintained that there is no such thing as luck."

"In the field, no," SIG Sauer declared, "During an exercise, perhaps. After all, while anything is liable to happen during an actual mission, everything that takes place during a drill is within your control to some degree."

"A fine argument," Bronze Star concurred, "It's especially true in my case, when you cannot afford to rely on anypony but yourself."

"On that note, how many of our colleagues did you manage to incapacitate this time, Your Highness?" asked another guard.

"Officially, twenty-four," Bronze Star declared, "The last section I totally cleared out was the Starswirl the Bearded Wing. I took out two more in the Astronomy Wing, but my cover was compromised shortly after that. So I suppose those two technically don't count."

"Still, two dozen is quite impressive," a third guard complimented him.

"I think that's a new record for you, sir," a fourth party noted.

"I think you're right, Stone Cracker," the Alicorn Prince coincided, "I myself am rather pleased with how much I've improved. We've been doing this once a year for the past ten years, and this is probably the first time I've managed to take out more than half of the forty units stationed down here."

"At the very least, it's a significant improvement on the very first drill," SIG Sauer wittily remarked.

"You mean the one where I was unable to take out a single guard before I was caught?" Bronze Star assumed.

"Yes, that's the one," SIG affirmed, "But to be fair, you were only fifteen at the time, and you were still in the preliminary stages of stealth and hoof-to-hoof combat."

"All the same, ten Summer Sun Celebrations have passed since then, and I still cannot best you, SIG," Bronze Star pointed out.

"Nopony's perfect, Your Highness," the middle-aged stallion reminded his leader.

"We should probably go and revive our coworkers," Stone Cracker proposed.

"Excellent suggestion," Hammer Shaft agreed, "Can't let them sleep on the job."

"I didn't hide them after I knocked them out, so they shouldn't be too hard to locate," Bronze Star informed them. He reached back into his saddle bag and pulled out the roster of the guards on duty in the restricted section. Then he handed it to Hammer Shaft and told him "Anypony who has a check mark next to their name is one of the twenty-four I managed to disable. Since the list also includes where they were stationed, it might make your search a little easier. There's also two more along that large spiral staircase in the Astronomy Wing."

"I'm surprised you decided to start on the section that was furthest in, sir," Stone Cracker observed as he examined the list over Hammer Shaft's shoulder "My group and I were positioned there, and we were expected you to arrive there hours ago."

"What would the point be if I started in the most obvious place?" Bronze Star countered, "That's my one of my newest policies; when operating under a stealthy approach, you should strike from the most unlikely angle. That way, the element of surprise is on your side."

"No wonder you managed to evade us for so long," commented another guard, "You really have a knack for keep a low profile."

"As somepony who's rarely ever been out of Canterlot, I'm inclined to agree," the prince wittily remarked.

Before long, the stallions heard two pairs of hoofsteps approaching from one of the adjoining hallways. Another of the Royal Guard was soon upon them. He gazed around at his colleagues and asked them "Is the prince down here?"

"Right here, Blade Bearer," the gold Alicorn replied.

"Ah, good to see you, sire," the guard approached Bronze Star and bowed his head for a moment. Then he brought it back up and notified him "Your mother has requested an audience with you."

"About what?" enquired the prince.

"She would not say," Blade Bearer responded, "All she told me was to have you come up to the throne room as soon as you were finished with the drill. Since the lights are now on in the restricted sections, I assume that you are."

"You are correct," the Alicorn confirmed. He turned to his trainer and the other officers of the Royal Guard and declared "SIG, you're with me. I presume the rest of you guys can wrap everything up here without me."

"We'll get right to work, sir," stated Hammer Shaft as he looked down at the roster in his right front hoof. He announced "The Astronomy Wing is the closest section; we'll start there."

Hammer Shaft, Stone Cracker, and all the other guards except Blade Bearer left the vicinity to go seek out their unconscious colleagues. They predicted that most of them would have a concussion or an unpleasant headache, but Bronze Star had been careful not to inflict too much damage onto any of them.

A minute later, Bronze Star, SIG Sauer, and Blade Bearer were left alone. The Alicorn Prince looked down at his entirely black garb for a few moments, and then he thought aloud "I should probably change my attire before I speak with my mother. Let's swing by the locker room first."

SIG Sauer and Blade Bearer agreed to this suggestion. The three stallions trotted through the corridors and navigated their way to a stairwell in the next section. After going up two flights of steps, they stepped off the stairwell and proceeded down another hallway. They stopped outside of a door labeled "Trainee Locker Room."

SIG Sauer turned to the Royal Guard and stated "Blade Bearer, would you mind waiting out here? I would like a moment in private with the prince."

"Very well, sir," the armor-clad stallion approved, "I'll be right outside this door if you need me."

Blade Bearer posted himself to the side of the door and stood his ground there. At the same time, Bronze Star pushed open the door to the locker room and held it ajar for his trainer to pass through. Once both stallions were inside, the Alicorn released the door and let it close on its own. Then he went over to one of the lockers in the center of the room. He opened it, tossed his mask inside, and removed a towel. As he wiped away the sweat from his face and mane, he announced to SIG Sauer "I think I'll take a quick shower before I put on my formal apparel."

"Go right ahead, sir," SIG Sauer perceived, "Wouldn't look good if you appeared in front of your mother drenched in sweat, after all."

"Yeah, no kidding," Bronze Star commented. He swiftly went to work getting undressed. In this order, he removed his saddle bag, his boots, his jacket, his vest, and his pants. After removing the last article of clothing, one could clearly see that his cutie mark was a cluster of large yellow stars outlined in black and grey. They were arranged in a particular pattern, as if they formed a constellation.

Bronze Star took out a gym bag from the locker, stuffed his workout clothes into the bag, and placed the bag back into his locker. Next, he wiped a few clammy locks of his mane out of his eyes, stepped into one of the shower stalls, and used his horn to activate the valve. His magic aura was silver, as his irises were the same color. Warm, clear water started flowing from the nozzle and onto Bronze Star's head and body. As the Alicorn washed himself, he called out to his trainer "So, what did you want to discuss?"

"First off, how come you didn't just teleport out that passage when you were surrounded?" stated SIG Sauer, "You've proven to be a master at disappearing and reappearing."

"Is that a serious question, SIG?" the Alicorn audaciously remarked, "You know as well as I do that teleporting in or out of the castle without my mother's authorization is strictly prohibited."

"I would have thought she'd make an exception for you," SIG Sauer conjectured

"If asked for an exception, she might grant it," Bronze Star admitted, "But I don't see any especial need for one when I've already got a pair of wings and four hooves to get me around the place. Besides, where's the fun in taking the easy way out?"

"I appreciate your optimism and your sense of thrill, sir," the Unicorn assured him, "However, taking the 'easy way out' would have spared you that unpleasant encounter with me at the end of the passage."

"I guess I can't dispute that," Bronze Star coincided, "Hammer Shaft did raise a good point, though. I find it peculiar that it's always **you** who gets me. Why do you suppose that is?"

"Probably because I've known your weakness since you first started training," SIG speculated, "It's always the exact same thing, even though I have incessantly advised you to improve upon it. As you may recall, I was standing directly behind you when you reached the end of the passage, but when you looked over your shoulders, you failed to notice me. Remember, Your Majesty, if you cannot see everything around you, you have no chance of navigating through a solo operation. You have to account for your blind spots."

"That's much easier for you to accomplish," Bronze Star declared, "You don't have a pair of wings obstructing your peripheral vision."

"True, but the Pegasi on my detail have learned to work around that hindrance," SIG Sauer apprised him, "Doing that is easier than you may think; all you have to do is keep them folded while you are moving on the ground. That way you'll be able to see clearly out of the corners of your eyes."

"What if I have to make a quick getaway and teleporting isn't an option?" the Alicorn theorized.

"Then keep your wings folded, but be ready to expand them and take to the air at a moment's notice," the Unicorn recommended, "My operatives need only a couple seconds of reaction time to accomplish this feat. This should be even simpler for you."

"Alright, I'll keep that in mind," Bronze Star assured his trainer. He switched off the matter, stepped out of the stall, and grabbed another towel from a nearby rack. As he dried himself off, he turned to SIG Sauer and observed "You really take these things seriously, don't you?"

"I certainly do," the Unicorn confirmed, nodding his head, "As should you, sir. Anytime you have an opportunity to hone your skills, you should use it."

"I'll remember that, too," Bronze Star assured him. Once he was totally dry, he hanged his towel up on a rack and walked back over to his locker. There he removed a vest, two pairs of soft shoes, and a crown. All six of these items were etched in silver and jade, and the crown held a lime green amethyst in its center.

Bronze Star began by slipping on the shoes. As he fastened them onto his hooves, he thought aloud "I assume you there is something else you'd like to tell me other than some instruction on how to better my flaws? A top-secret intelligence report, perhaps?"

"Actually, yes," SIG Sauer disclosed, "How did you guess?"

"You asked Blade Bearer to wait outside the room," Bronze Star pointed out, "You wouldn't have done that unless you had something to share with me that's supposed to remain confidential."

SIG Sauer lightly nodded, and then he smirked and remarked "You're rather perceptive, sir."

"I have to be, considering how busy I am," Bronze Star responded. After he got his shoes on, he picked up his vest and slid it over his head. Once he straightened it out, he looked over at his trainer and queried "So, what do you have for me?"

SIG Sauer walked over to another locker, opened it, and removed a file from it. He held it out to his protégé and informed him "What you're about to read arrived just last night. It's been in our possession for less than sixteen hours. In the time since then, we've had the information sourced. Its authenticity has been verified by our top five intelligence agencies."

"Does it concern that suspect we've had our eyes on?" Bronze Star presumed as he received the file into his front hooves.

"If you mean Material Study, then yes," SIG Sauer answered, ""We've also uncovered strong evidence which seems to confirm your theory that he's not acting alone."

Bronze Star opened the file and began flipping through it. It contained pictures of a light blue stallion with an orange mane and a notable amount of facial hair. The entire file was centered on this stallion. As Bronze Star studied the contents of the file, SIG Sauer continued to debrief him: "In the past three months, he has been through Fillydelphia, Las Pegasus, and Balitmare. He's bought cartloads of minerals, isotopes, and lab equipment from ten different stores in those towns. At first glance, he just appears to be a professor or a scientist staying in the cities to do some experiments. However, we've also got copies of his hotel records. According to the log books, he's had at least one guest visit each him at each of his suites. We've run background checks on them, and most of them turned up with nothing. However, the last person who paid him a visit was a mare named Lavender Dazzle, who – it just so happens – is also on our watch list."

"Any idea what their meeting was about?" asked Bronze Star as he continued looking through the file.

"Nothing firsthand, but we're fairly confident it must have something to do with all the chemicals he's been purchasing," SIG Sauer conjectured, "Dr. Material Study is a very renowned specialist in his field, but he's not rich enough to afford all those special commodities."

"So somepony else must be providing him with his finances," Bronze Star hypothesized.

"That's my theory, too," SIG Sauer professed, "At this point, we're not certain if he's directly connected with Lavender Dazzle's work, or if he's just in it for profit. Until we know which, we're going to assume that his level of involvement is as vast as we originally believed it to be."

"Any idea what Material Study's next move might be?" Bronze Star inquired.

"Yes, one of our undercover operatives managed to swipe a copy of his personal itinerary off of him when he left Baltimare," SIG Sauer apprised him, "He'll be arriving in Hoofington in fifteen days, apparently to do some more shopping and rendezvous with a few more contacts. However, immediately after that, he'll be coming straight here. His schedule did not specify what he would be doing here, but we can draw up several reasonable ideas."

Bronze Star nodded his head in acknowledgement, closed the file, and looked back up at Bronze Star. Then he asked him "What would you recommend we do?"

"Until we can declare otherwise, we should treat Material Study as a hostile of malicious intent," SIG Sauer proposed, "We cannot allow him to set hoof in Canterlot. Our best course of action would be to catch him while he's in Hoofington. Then we can get him to talk. We'll learn firsthoof what he's up to."

"Who would be running the operation to pick up Material Study?" inquired Bronze Star.

"That would be my team, sir," SIG Sauer replied, "We've already got the entire procedure planned out, and we've got backup strategies at the ready in case the first one goes south. We've spared no detail in these plans. All we need is your sanction to go ahead with them."

"In any case, you have it," the gold stallion informed him, "How soon can you have your platoon assembled?"

"All my units are already in the capital," stated the pine green stallion "I've instructed them to remain in the city in case of an emergency. That way I'd be able to gather them and prep them for anything at a moment's notice. Even if we started preparing for the operation, we'll need a few days to make all the necessary arrangements. But in any event, we'll be ready long before Material Study arrives in Hoofington."

In addition to being Bronze Star's personal combat trainer, SIG Sauer was also the leader of the aforementioned Firebrand Regiment, the squad that answered directly to the young prince. Bronze Star had appointed SIG Sauer to that position himself. He had very good reason to. After ten years of comprehensive and earnest training, Bronze Star had developed a type of special bond with the ex-military officer. Other than his mother and a few members of her staff, there was nopony in all of Equestria that the young prince trusted more.

"We can discuss this matter in further detail later on," Bronze Star decided, handing the file back to his trainer, "For now, my mother is waiting on me."

"Sounds fine to me," SIG Sauer concurred.

Bronze Star turned to the door of the room and was about to leave, but SIG Sauer hastily told him "Don't forget your crown, sir."

"Oh, yes; silly me," Bronze Star quickly remembered. He turned around to pick up his crown, but SIG Sauer had already picked it up for him. The Unicorn used his teal magic aura to lift the crown up into the air and gracefully place it on the top of the Alicorn's head. Bronze Star simply scoffed and said "Thanks, SIG."

"Anytime, sir," was all SIG Sauer said in response.

The two stallions then departed from the locker room, and Blade Bearer began leading them to the throne room. For the present, Bronze Star was no longer functioning as a soldier. Now, he was reassuming a much larger role as one of Canterlot's leaders.


	3. A New Challenge

**Note: I apologize for being a few days overdue. I've just been really preoccupied, what with my final exams coming up.**

Canterlot Castle was massive. It had been the largest building in Equestria for almost a thousand years. Its architects had spent three years just to design the blueprints, and the construction phase itself had occupied a timespan of five decades. While parts of the fortress had been renovated, augmented, or severed over the centuries, most of the original structure was still intact.

Due to its gargantuan size, it was easy for somepony to get lost in its labyrinth of hallways. At this time, Blade Bearer was leading SIG Sauer and Bronze from the locker room in the lower levels to the throne room in the upper levels. The quickest and most direct route required for the three stallions to navigate through at least fifty corridors and six flights of stairs.

Fortunately, none of the three stallions needed an escort. Most of the Royal Guard were very well-acquainted with the outline of the castle. Blade Bearer had been on the force for nine years, and although SIG Sauer no longer worked for them, he still had an impeccable memory of the castle's outline.

For Bronze Star, traversing through this path was even easier. He had been born in the castle, he had been raised in it, and he had lived in it for his entire life. He had been through every single hallway in the castle so many times that he had virtually memorized the whole layout. The only person who knew its layout better than Bronze Star was his mother. Considering how she had resided in the building for centuries, it was unlikely that Bronze Star's familiarity with the castle would ever surpass hers.

To Bronze Star, the most amusing part about the castle's massive size and its complex structure was its unpredictability. That is, you never knew who or what you were apt to come across at any time.

For instance, when Bronze Star, SIG Sauer, and Blade Bearer arrived on the floor of the throne room and turned around the corner of the wall next to the stairwell, they encountered a young female Unicorn. Her coat was lavender, her mane was violet with a pink stripe and a purple stripe down the center, and her eyes were light purple. Her cutie mark was a six-edged pink star. Bronze Star would recognize her anywhere, and vice versa.

She was Twilight Sparkle, one of his closest friends and his mother's personal apprentice.

"Good day, Twilight," the gold Alicorn greeted the lavender Unicorn.

"Oh, hi, Bronze," the magic student replied, smiling. She noticed the other two stallions and said "Oh, hello, SIG. Hello, Blade Bearer."

"Morning, Twilight," SIG Sauer acknowledged.

"Greetings, Miss Sparkle," stated Blade Bearer.

"Where are you gentlecolts headed to?" Twilight inquired.

"The throne room," Bronze Star informed her, "My mother just summoned me there."

"Really?" Twilight remarked, raising an eyebrow, "Small world; Spike just got a message from her. She beckoned me there, too. She didn't give me a reason why, though."

"She didn't tell me why she wanted to see Bronze Star, either," Blade Bearer informed her.

"Maybe it's for the same reason," SIG Sauer told the two younger ponies, "Otherwise she would have asked for you at different times."

"That's not an irrational assumption," Bronze Star concurred, "But rather than speculate on why she wants to see us, let's go ahead and see her."

"Good idea," Twilight Sparkle agreed to this proposal, "Mind if I accompany you?"

"Not at all," Bronze Star replied.

The mare joined up with the three stallions, and the four of them trotted down the next hallway. They moved in silence for a couple minutes. When they were about halfway between the stairwell and the throne room, Bronze Star broke the silence. He thought aloud "What do you suppose she will have to discuss with us?"

"It will probably be something that pertains to the Summer Sun Celebration," SIG Sauer theorized.

"Or she might wish for some input on a certain topic from ponies she trusts," Blade Bearer proposed.

"Whatever the reason, it must be very important for Celestia to involve both of us," Twilight Sparkle pointed out to the Alicorn.

Soon, the small group reached the throne room. There were two Unicorn stallions standing guard at the entrance. They stepped aside, used their magic to open up the doors, and allowed the four to enter.

With the possible exception of the ballroom, the throne room was the biggest room in the entire building. The two long walls were ornamented with dozens of stained-glass windows. While most of the windows were blank, the ones at the far end of the room were elaborately detailed. All of these windows were significant in that each one of them was meant to capture a specific event in the past. There was a great deal of history to be found in this hall, and the windows had been built in a way that they formed a straight timeline. You could say that the closer one got to the throne, the further back in time one went.

Since Celestia had witnessed all of these events, it would seem appropriate that her throne be positioned at the very end of the hall. She was sitting there right now, and three stallions were standing at the base of the throne. Two of them were Unicorns; they were members of the Royal Guards in armor. The third stallion was a very tall but thin Pegasus. He had a palomino coat, a white mane, and azure eyes. His cutie mark was a partly-unrolled white scroll with one word on it: Honor.

He was Bellerophon, Celestia's chief of staff and most reliable advisor. He was also Bronze Star's consultant in matters of politics and diplomacy, as well as one of the few ponies that the prince trusted as much as SIG Sauer. Some would say that Bronze Star was even closer to Bellerophon than he was to SIG Sauer. After all, while the prince had known his trainer for eleven years, he had known his mentor for as long as he could remember.

Bellerophon's predecessor was a mare named Righteous Decree. She had served as Celestia's chief of staff for forty-two years. She would have continued aiding her princess, but she had passed away during her forty-third year of service. Bronze Star never knew her; she had died shortly before his third birthday. However, whenever his mother brought up Righteous Decree, she always spoke of her with utmost respect.

After the period of mourning for Righteous Decree, Celestia had quickly busied herself with searching for somepony to replace her. Scores of ponies had applied for the position, and many of them had ample qualifications, but none of them met Celestia's expectations. Then Bellerophon arrived on the castle's doorstep. Almost immediately, she thought of him as a most interesting character. He had no prior experience working for the intelligence bureau, the military, or any other part of the government, but the counsel and insight he gave on every cultural aspect was phenomenal. Celestia doubted that she had ever met anyone so wise or intelligent. Which was saying something, as she had met several of the founders of modern theories of science. After having just one lone thirty-minute conversation with the palomino stallion, Celestia chose straightaway to hire him. Bellerophon had been faithfully serving her and her son ever since.

At this point in time, he was conversing with Celestia on a certain topic. This topic happened to involve the two young ponies who had just arrived in the room. When he noticed the lavender Unicorn and the gold Alicorn approaching them, Bellerophon pointed them out to the princess. Celestia smiled at their visitors and stated "I'm so pleased to see you both."

"Likewise, Your Highness," Twilight Sparkle humbly stated, bowing her head in reverence. Bronze Star bowed his head as well, even though he was under no obligation to do so. He simply preferred to show his mother the same respect everypony else did.

"Is everything alright, Mother?" inquired Bronze Star, "Blade Bearer mentioned that you wanted to discuss something with me. Twilight told me she got the same message through Spike. I can only assume that you want to speak to us about the same subject."

"You are correct, Bronze Star," Celestia confirmed her son's suspicions.

"Based on what Bronze told me, and based on your wording in the letter to me, whatever you have to tell us must be urgent," Twilight Sparkle discerned.

"It **is** urgent," Celestia affirmed, "But not in the way you may think. It's not a matter of national security. It has to do with the Summer Sun Celebration."

Bronze Star and Twilight Sparkle were a little surprised to hear this. The latter raised an eyebrow and asked "What do you mean, Princess?"

"As you know, the Celebration takes place on the longest day of the year," Celestia went on "And while most of the festivities occur here in Canterlot, the actual ceremony is usually in another city."

"Sure we know that," Bronze Star acknowledged, "Last year it was in Appleosa. The year before that, Cloudsdale, and the year before that, Manehattan."

"This year, it will be in Ponyville," Celestia added in.

"Ponyville, huh?" remarked Twilight, "That's not very far from here. Only about fifty miles."

"I would say between fifty and sixty miles," Blade Bearer cut in.

"To be precise, approximately 55.4 miles," SIG Sauer corrected him. That was another one of his many accomplishments; he knew the exact distance between any two cities in the country.

"Okay, we're starting to get off-track here," Bronze Star bluntly stated, looking over his shoulder. He then turned back to his mother and requested "Please, go on, Mother. What were you saying?"

"It's come to my attention that you and Twilight Sparkle have almost never been outside of Canterlot," Celestia explicated, "And you've certainly never attended any of the Summer Sun Celebrations held outside the city."

"Well, with all due respect, we are well-aware of that," Twilight pointed out, "Neither Bronze nor I regret being unable to show up at those ceremonies. Staying here during them was our own choice."

"I know, and if this was any other year, I would not protest if you decided to remain in Canterlot again," Celestia informed her son and her apprentice, "However, this marks the 1000th anniversary of the Summer Sun Celebration. If given the opportunity, nopony should have to forego appearing at the ceremony this year on such an auspicious occasion. Least of all, the two of you."

"Do you wish for us to come with you to Ponyville?" Bronze Star assumed.

"I would like for you to be **at **the ceremony with me," Celestia answered him, "But I would actually prefer it if you travelled to Ponyville **before** I did."

"What do you mean, Your Highness?" asked Twilight.

It was here that Bellerophon spoke for the first time. He responded for his ruler: "Every year, after Princess Celestia selects the location of the ceremony for the Summer Sun Celebration, she has a committee go to the town at least a day in advance. This committee is tasked with overseeing the preparations and ascertaining that everything and everypony stays on-track."

"Yes, I know of this," Bronze Star remarked, "Aren't you normally on the committee, Bellerophon?"

"Indeed he is," stated the white Alicorn mare, "My chief of staff always goes."

"How many other ponies are on this committee?" queried Twilight Sparkle.

"Typically, three," Celestia replied, "In addition to my chief of staff, I send along a security officer, a qualified inspector, and the town's ambassador, who is usually already there. However, Ponyville's ambassador retired last week, and I still have yet to appoint a new one. However, I have an idea for a temporary replacement."

"Who might that be?" asked Bronze Star.

Nopony gave an instant verbal response to the prince's question. At first, he was beginning to think that he would not get an answer. But within the next minute, he noticed something intriguing; his mother and his mentor were gazing directly at him and smirking a bit. It did not take long for him to put two and two together and realize that this was his answer. He uttered in slight confusion "Me?"

"I don't see why not," Princess Celestia debated, "After all, you have more than enough merits to apply for the position. You're very experienced in negotiation and public relations, you can defend yourself and your own, you take all your responsibilities seriously, and I know how much you've always wanted to visit another city."

"Well, I suppose I cannot deny any of that, Mother," Bronze Star admitted, "I'm honored that you think I'm so capable. I would happily accept your proposition. But there's just one… no, three small problems."

"What might they be?" asked Celestia.

"This, this, and this," Bronze Star replied, gesturing to his horn, wings, and crown respectively, "There's no telling how the residents of Ponyville – or any other town, for that matter – would react if a member of the Canterlot Royalty started representing them."

"I would imagine they would view it as an honor," Bellerophon observed, "If you're worried about making a good first impression, sir, I do not believe you would have any difficulty in that regard. You and your mother are respected by almost everypony in Equestria."

"I realize that, Bellerophon," said Bronze Star, "However, the people in this country have known my mother for centuries, as she visits all the cities regularly. I – on the other hoof – have never even been to any of the other provinces. One thing I like about Canterlot is how I'm able to walk the streets of the city without turning heads."

"How so?" inquired Princess Celestia.

"The people here respect me as more of an equal than a superior," Bronze Star specified, "I believe that's because they're accustomed to my presence. However, Ponyville and all the other towns are not. If I went to any one of those settlements, it would probably take some time for them to get used to me. The absolute last thing I'd like to do is draw attention to myself, even if it's cordiality and praise."

"I understand what you're saying, Bronze Star," Celestia assured her son, "Ever since I first ascended to power, I was faced with the same unconditional affection from everypony else. It was a little overwhelming, but I learned to adjust to it as time went on. Of course, I cannot expect you to get used to it in twelve hours."

"I think I may know a way to remedy this problem," Bellerophon thought aloud. Everypony turned to him and watched him, as if they expected him to continue. He did not announce his thoughts to all of them. Instead, he walked up the few steps at the base of the throne, leaned closer to Princess Celestia, and whispered into her ear. She listened intently and absorbed everything he said.

Once he was finished, she lightly shrugged and remarked "I suppose that might work."

"What did he say, Mother?" inquired Bronze Star.

"In his own words, Bellerophon suggested that we 'modify your façade to make you less conspicuous,'" Celestia explained. "His idea is that I could use my magic to help you blend in with the common people."

"How would you do that?" said the gold Alicorn.

"Well, I could employ an illusion spell to hide your horn or your wings, or both," Celestia informed him, "Since you're just a little taller than most ponies of your age, you should be able to pass yourself off as a Pegasus, a Unicorn, or an Earth Pony."

"That sounds like a fair idea," Bronze Star admitted, "However, isn't it possible for anypony within reaching distance to discover my horn or wings? Say for example, somepony may accidentally brush a hoof against my forehead or back. They would probably become inquisitive if it appeared as though I had an invisible appendage somewhere on my body."

"You wouldn't have to worry about that," Celestia assured her son, "My illusion spells do far more than simply cloak the targets. They also rearrange the targets' molecular composition so that they cannot be physically disturbed by anything they come in contact with. Essentially, the objects **completely** disappear, but they are still there at the same time."

Bronze Star spent a minute thinking about this proposal. Then he gazed up at his mother, nodded his head, and smirked in satisfaction, saying "Alright, Mother. These terms are suitable. You've got yourself an ambassador for Ponyville."

"Excellent," was all Celestia said. She was clearly very pleased that her son had accepted. After a few seconds of silence, she announced "Now we can move on to the next item of business for the committee. We'll be needing a qualified inspector. That is where you come in, Twilight."

The lavender Unicorn was mildly surprised to hear this. "Why me, Your Highness? Why not use somepony who is formally licensed to conduct this line of work?"

"Believe me, I considered sending a licensed superintendent at first," Celestia informed her student, "However, the purpose of the Celebration is to uphold the tradition and history of Equestria. Other than myself, I cannot think of a single pony who is more versed in the customs and cultures of our country than you. In addition to that, you pay admirable attention to detail, you never let tasks go undone, and I have no questions about your devotion to your work."

Twilight Sparkle was flattered to hear Princess Celestia list off her numerous capabilities. However, part of her was inclined to think that there was something more to this matter; something that Celestia had not yet revealed. After all, while Bronze Star had always possessed a desire to visit another city, Twilight Sparkle had never even shown any interest in leaving the capital city. It would make sense for him to be on the committee, but why her? This was especially odd when considering how just a couple hours earlier, Twilight had informed Celestia about a certain prophecy. Evidently, her ruler was not taking her warning seriously.

Despite her skepticism, Twilight Sparkle was not one to question her leader. She chose to look on the bright side. By going to a new town, it would be an opportunity for her to learn about the citizens and their way of life. This would allow her to increase her pool of knowledge. She also realized that if Celestia was confident that Twilight could handle the duties of the ceremony's inspector, then it probably would not take very long for her to carry out those tasks. She would still have plenty of time to investigate the legend of Nightmare Moon further.

Ultimately, Twilight Sparkle looked up at Celestia and told her "As you wish, Your Highness. You can count on me to do the job."

"I know I can, my faithful student," the white Alicorn remarked. There was silence for a few seconds, and then Celestia commented "Guess all we still need is a security officer."

SIG Sauer stepped forward, raised one of his front hooves, and declared "I'd like to volunteer for that position, Your Majesty."

Everypony in the throne room was surprised to hear this from the trainer, particularly Bronze Star. Princess Celestia focused on him and stated "I know I could trust you to get the job done, SIG Sauer. But aren't you a little… shall we say, overqualified for it?"

"I do not see it like that, ma'am," the green Unicorn elucidated, "I've been to Ponyville before. It's a relatively quiet and peaceful town. Unlike most other settlements, it has almost no police force. Normally, this wouldn't be a problem throughout the rest of the year, as crime is virtually nonexistent there. But **anything** could happen during the Summer Sun Celebration. This kind of scenario is **not** for amateurs or normal constables. You'll need somepony who's experienced in dealing with high-level threats. I have been involved in this line of work long enough that I can usually avert disasters before they even happen. Plus, I work exclusively for the Canterlot Royalty. Not to sound haughty, but I do believe I'm the most logical candidate for the position."

"No one is disputing your competence, SIG," Bronze Star disclosed, "Truthfully, there is nopony I would rather have by my side during a hostile situation than you. But are you certain you'd be able to properly focus, what with that **other** assignment you're working on?"

"What other assignment?" queried Bellerophon.

"Just some business outside of Canterlot," SIG Sauer replied to the chief of staff. Then he said to the prince "In answer to your question, sire, everything is under control. Even if I ordered my team to begin making preparations right now, it would be at least four days before they're ready to move. Aside from that, we have two whole weeks before the strike window opens. I'm quite certain that my subordinates can handle the arrangements without me. I can afford to take a day off to accompany you to Ponyville."

Bronze Star shrugged and thought aloud "I suppose that's all the assurance I need. What do you think, Mother?"

"I think we just filled the last open slot on the committee," Celestia answered cheerfully, "Now that we have covered everything of importance, you are all dismissed. The committee is scheduled to depart for Ponyville in approximately two hours. Bellerophon is already prepared to leave. I'd suggest the three of you quickly put together whatever necessities and supplies you'll need to spend the night in Ponyville."

"Will do," Twilight Sparkle acknowledged, "As soon as I get back to my suite, I'll have Spike start packing."

"I'll just need to acquire some equipment from my cabin and I'll be ready," SIG Sauer proclaimed.

"Packing will be simple for me, too," Bronze Star avowed, "But before I stop by my quarters, Mother, do you suppose you can go ahead and perform that spell to hide my horn and wings? If I'm going to appear in public with a bare forehead and a bare back, I want to get used to the sensation."

"Certainly, Bronze Star," Celestia remarked, "However, before I proceed, you should be aware that there is a downside to this spell. After I use it to conceal your horn and wings, you will not be able to use magic or fly. You will not even be able to feel them until I reverse the spell. Are you certain you'd be alright with that concept?"

Bronze Star needed a couple minutes to think about this prospect. Eventually, he told his mother "It would probably be difficult to adjust to the change, but yes; I do believe I can cope without my horn or wings. I mean, Earth Ponies have always managed to propser without magic or flight. There's no reason why I can't adapt to their level for a while. Besides, this won't be a long-term alteration. So, yes, Mother; I can accept those limitations."

"Very well; that is all I needed to hear," Celestia pronounced. She rose up from her throne, descended the steps at its base, and stood directly in front of her son. She instructed him "Close your eyes, stand absolutely still, and clear your mind. If this is to work, we must both be properly focused."

Bronze Star obeyed this command. He shut his eyes, froze in his stance, and rid his mind of any superfluous thoughts. Celestia did all this, as well. Twilight Sparkle, SIG Sauer, and Blade Bearer all took several steps backward to give the Alicorns some space. Bronze Star informed his mother "I'm ready."

After fifteen seconds of complete silence, a golden aura appeared on Celestia's horn. It started out miniscule and hazy, but it gradually grew in size and in brightness. When it was about the size of a soccer ball and as bright as a new flashlight, Celestia tilted her head forward. The magic aura instantly changed into two thin energy beams, and they flowed straight forward. One of them came in contact with Bronze Star's horn; the other came in contact with his wings. Once the energy beams had surrounded his horn and wings, they continued getting progressively larger and brighter.

Before long, the other ponies in the room had to cover their eyes and gaze away to avoid being blinded by the glow. Even then, its scope and radiance kept increasing. Soon, Bronze Star was totally enveloped in the energy beams and their hue was as white as Celestia's coat. There was a huge flash of light, and immediately after, the energy beams dissipated into nothingness.

Nopony opened their eyes for a good thirty seconds, including Bronze Star and Celestia. The gold stallion slowly raised his right front hoof up to the center of his forehead. Sure enough, it was bare. Also, he could feel a breeze across his back, which felt a few pounds lighter.

Bronze Star grinned and opened his eyes. He quickly noticed that everypony else had already opened theirs as well. They were all staring at him, as if they were intrigued by his new appearance. Celestia was merely pleased to see that the spell was a success. She anxiously asked him "How do you feel?"

"I'm a little disoriented, but my head's clearing up," he responded, "I'm just glad it worked. Thank you for it, Mother."

"My pleasure, Bronze Star," Celestia assured him, "Is there anything else you wish to discuss?"

"Yes, just one more thing," the gold stallion apprised her, "Since I'm taking on a new appearance, we should probably invent a new identity for me as well. After all, disguising me physically will not be enough to convince anypony that I am not Royalty."

"Smart thinking, Your Highness," Bellerophon stated, "Only a few ponies know you by appearance, but virtually everypony in Equestria knows your name. Any preferences for a new one?"

"Off the top of my head, I think 'Gold Streak' would be a fine choice," Bronze Star professed.

"Seem appropriate enough," Twilight Sparkle commented, "I've always thought of your coat as more gold than bronze."

"Then I'll go with that," Bronze Star decided, "Now I just need a way to convince people that it actually is my name."

"You can leave that to me, Your Highness," Bellerophon announced, "As an ambassador, you'll need to have a few certain documents on-hoof to prove you are affiliated with the government. Since I'm the one who always oversees the manufacture and distribution of these documents, I can have a set of them created with the name 'Gold Streak' designated as the owner. The documents should take no longer than an hour to produce; they'll be ready by the time we leave for Ponyville."

"Alright, thanks, Bellerophon; I'll make sure to acquire them then," Bronze Star told the palomino Pegasus. He paused for a moment, and then he smirked at his mother and told her "I do believe everything has been resolved. I'll be upstairs getting ready for the committee's departure. I know I won't see you until the ceremony, but I'll still be thinking of you when I'm in Ponyville."

Celestia smiled at her son, leaned closer to him, and nuzzled her head against his now-smooth forehead. He happily accepted and returned the sign of affection. When they separated, she said "I'll be thinking of you, too."

With that, Bronze Star bid his mother farewell, turned around, and headed towards the exit of the throne room with Twilight Sparkle and SIG Sauer. On the way there, he took in a deep breath and let it out very slowly. He obviously had a lot on his mind at this time. He had always wanted to travel to another city, but he never imagined he would be going to one under a different identity. Although he had willingly accepted all this secrecy, he had a strange feeling that something might still go wrong. But this was not simply because he had chosen to hide his identity. It was also because he realized he would be entering what was basically uncharted territory as a stranger. As a member of the Canterlot Royalty, life in the castle made him feel welcomed and esteemed. He hoped he could somehow acquire that same feeling as an ordinary civilian in the town of Ponyville.


	4. Parting Ways

Bronze Star, Twilight Sparkle, and SIG Sauer went their own ways at the entrance of the throne room. Twilight headed for her suite, SIG Sauer travelled to his cabin, and Bronze Star proceeded towards his quarters.

As he trotted through the hallways, Bronze Star noted that several of the guards gave him odd looks. He could hardly blame them; this was the first time they had ever seen him without his wings and horn. However, he was not concerned that they would mistake him for an imposter. He was still dressed in his royal attire, and everything else about his appearance was the same, including his cutie mark. That was more than enough to ensure the guards that he was in fact their prince.

Fifteen minutes later, Bronze Star arrived at his room. He removed a key from his vest with his left front hoof and used it to unlock the door. He pushed it open and stepped inside. After closing the door behind him, he quickly went to work packing.

"Alright, let's see here…" he muttered to himself, "What to bring, what to bring…"

According to his mother, he was only supposed to remain in Ponyville for a few days, if not just overnight. However, he always liked to be prepared, so he gathered up enough supplies to last him for a week. But even that was not very much. For a stallion who had everything in life given to him, Bronze Star actually managed to get by on very little. He preferred it that way, as he also believed in being conservative.

He knew he would not be needing a lot of apparel in Ponyville, as the majority of the citizens did not wear clothes on a regular basis. Bronze Star just took three outfits: one of his training uniforms, a business suit, and a set of casual garb. The shirts to these outfits all had two holes in the back where his wings would have been. Those would have to be patched up in the near future, but he decided to wait until he got to Ponyville to handle this.

For obvious reasons, he would not be bringing along his royal attire. He saw it ideal to change out of it while he was in his room. Once he had his other clothes assembled, he quickly got undressed. He placed the two pairs of soft shoes at the base of his bed, hung the vest on a hook on the wall to the side of his bed, and placed the crown on the nightstand next to his bed.

Other than clothing, Bronze Star did not have much more to pack. First, he went into the washroom and collected some toiletries like toothbrush and toothpaste. Then he went back out into the main room and approached a desk on the wall opposite his bed. He gathered up some quills, ink, and parchment, as well as a clipboard and knapsack to hold them all. Next, he approached a chest near the balcony and acquired some bags of money and a belt of tools from it.

After this, he trotted over to a bookcase and removed three books. One was entitled _A Traveler's Guide to Ponyville_. Bronze Star felt this one could help him incorporate himself into the town. Another was called _Legends Of Pre-Equestria Lore_. This was one of his personal favorites. It was a compilation of many interesting myths and factual occurrences from an era in the distant past. The third one was labeled _The Noble of the Horseshoes_. This was another one Bronze Star always enjoyed; it was an epic tale of a band of ponies who came together to defeat a merciless dictator by destroying a horseshoe containing all his power. Originally, it had been released in three installments, but Bronze Star's version had all three in one volume.

Bronze Star carried all these objects over to his bed and set them down. Then he reached under his bed, pulled out a suitcase, placed it on top of the sheets, and opened it up. He then loaded all his supplies into the case, making sure to stuff it so that he would not waste any space. As it turned out, he managed to fit all his supplies into this one suitcase. He even had about an inch of room left on top. That gave him an idea to bring along one more thing.

He reached under one of the pillows on his bed and pulled out another key. Then he walked over to a cabinet next to his desk, used the key to unlock it, and slid it open. Inside were dozens of assorted folders. Bronze Star flipped through them until he found two particular files near the center. He removed these file, shut the cabinet, and locked it back up.

Bronze Star went back over to the bookcase, placed the key between one of the three new spaces in the shelves, and moved another book over it. He always hid this key in a new spot after he used it.

Then he trotted over to his suitcase, carefully placed the folders on top of the contents, shut the lid, and fastened the clasps.

Bronze Star was now finished with packing. All he had to do now was wait. There was still an hour and twenty minutes until the committee was supposed to leave.

Bronze Star spent most of this time pondering on how he would present himself to the residents of Ponyville. If he was going to be their ambassador for any length of time, he had to prove he was qualified for the position. He stood in front of the mirror and practiced saying things such as "Good morning, sir. My name is Gold Streak. I am the new ambassador to Ponyville. Pleasure to become acquainted with you."

Then he remembered that Ponyville's mayor was a mare. Saying 'sir' would have been imprudent.

After rehearsing these lines for about a half-hour, Bronze Star decided to take a break and step outside. There was a door opposite the entrance to the room that connected to a balcony. He walked over to this door, opened it, and stepped out onto the platform.

Bronze Star's room was located on the front of the castle. He had a fantastic view of the city from it; probably the best one in the whole castle. He never got tired of this spot. He could spend all day studying the city from a bird's eye-view without getting bored. He approached the end of the platform, rested his front hooves on the rail, and stared out into the distance.

At first, he enjoyed the sight in solitude. Then he received some unexpected company. Ten minutes after he went outside, a shadow briefly passed over Bronze Star. He gazed up and noticed a hawk was flying about a hundred feet over his head. The hawk swooped down from the sky and flew directly towards him. When it got close enough, it broke off its path and hovered in the air above his head. Then it slowly descended and landed on the rail next to Bronze Star.

The hawk may have appeared menacing, but he was quite friendly to those he knew. It just so happened that he knew Bronze Star very well. He happened to be the prince's pet. Bronze Star smiled at the bird and said "Hello, Colonel. I was hoping to see you."

The hawk's full name was Arthur D. Hawkins, but Bronze Star liked to refer to him as "Colonel." There was a very interesting reason as to why that was. When he first started training with SIG Sauer, Bronze Star liked to imagine that he had a partner during some of the exercises. He personally believed it would be childish to have an imaginary friend, so he decided to get an animal companion. He settled on a hawk, as he admired them for their allegiance, ferocity, and dexterity. Hawkins became his pet shortly after. When they were alone in his quarters, the prince occasionally pretended the two of them were in a combat situation together. He called his bird "Colonel" to make it seem more realistic. Bronze Star had ultimately outgrown these fantasies, but he kept using the title to address his pet.

Colonel bowed his head lightly to show he was pleased to see the prince as well. However, he immediately noticed there was something different about his master. His wings and horn were missing. Bronze Star noted the hawk's concern and informed him "No cause for alarm. I'm just changing my look for a while. What do you think of it?"

Colonel tilted his head to the side and studied his master from this angle. A moment later, he flapped his wings in place, which meant he was unsure what to think.

Bronze Star scoffed and told the hawk "Don't worry; this isn't permanent. I'll be using magic and flying in the sky with you again soon enough. For now, I'm staying like this. However, that's not half as interesting as the reason why I am. You want to know why?"

Colonel nodded his head. He was clearly intrigued by his owner's appearance, and he was curious to learn why he did not have his wings or his horn at this time.

"My mother's given me a very important task," Bronze Star expounded, "As you know the Summer Sun Celebration is tomorrow. The main ceremony will take place in Ponyville. But before my mother arrives there, she'll have a committee go ahead and survey the town. This year, I'm on the committee. You're looking at the new temporary ambassador to Ponyville."

Although he could not give an articulate response to anything Bronze Star said, Hawkins could understand him perfectly. He was a very intelligent and empathetic animal. His master had often confided in him when he felt he could not confide in anypony. He had shared many personal secrets and desires with Hawkins, one of which was his yearning to visit another town. This wish was something Hawkins could easily relate to; he took great pleasure in having wide open spaces to hunt and soar through. Obviously, the prince was elated by the prospect of travelling to Ponyville. He was content that his master was content.

"Now, the Celebration will be over by tomorrow night, so I probably won't be gone very long," Bronze Star apprised his pet, "Do you think you'd be able to hold the old fort down while I'm away?"

The hawk vigorously nodded his head. He always enjoyed looking after his master's room for him whenever he was away. While all the doors to Bronze Star's quarters were sealed tight whenever the prince was out of the room, there was a small space that appeared above the balcony in periodic intervals. This opening showed up for five minutes every three hours. It was about two feet in diameter; just big enough for the hawk to pass through with his wings outstretched. Nobody else had this kind of free access to Bronze Star's room.

"I know I can trust you," Bronze Star professed, "You're so good at keeping watch that I'm beginning to think I should recommend you for the Royal Guard. Imagine that, huh? That'd be something. Seriously, though; I don't think there's ever been a more reliable animal in this castle than you."

Colonel did not care very much for praise or admiration, but he took great pleasure in the knowledge that Bronze Star thought so highly of him. In his mind, the prince was more than just his master; he was his friend as well. Definitely his dearest equine friend, if not his dearest friend altogether.

Bronze Star turned to stare at some mountains in the distance and thought aloud "There's something you should know, though. I'm not entirely certain how long I'll be in Ponyville. This is supposed to be a short-term assignment, but if they are unable to find an ideal replacement, I may stay on as ambassador for an extended period of time. If I'm there long enough, maybe you could come and stay with me."

Colonel screeched in gratification at this suggestion. In a way, he shared his master's desire to travel. He did not have a wish to visit a new town, but he always liked seeking out new territory to scout and rummage for prey. Plus, he was interested in discovering what Bronze Star would be doing as the ambassador to Ponyville. He found that his master's work was always interesting in some way.

Bronze Star sighed in enjoyment and continued to admire the view of the city. He could see the ponies rushing through the streets on the ground below. There were far too many to even attempt to count them, but that was alright with Bronze Star; their number was of little importance to him. He was certain that the streets of Ponyville would be less busy, but not by much. At any rate, it would not be long before he joined their company. He would no longer be a mere observer; he would be a full-fledged partaker instead.

He wanted to enjoy the scenery while he still could. So he spent the next several minutes watching the city and all the activity. A multitude of sounds and noise could faintly be heard from the streets, but the balcony to Bronze Star's room was nice and quiet. He rested his chin on top of his folded front legs and leaned against the support of the balcony. He stayed in that exact position for nearly a half-hour, and he barely moved a muscle in all that time.

Then out of nowhere, he heard a loud thumping noise, causing him to jerk to attention. Colonel speedily rose off the rail and bore his claws defensively. He and his master gazed inside the room, keeping their eyes open for anything out of the ordinary.

Several seconds later, the thumping noise came again. This time, Bronze Star and Colonel were able to pinpoint the source. It was coming from the other side of the main entrance. They quickly realized that this loud thumping noise was just the sound of somepony knocking on the door.

Bronze Star eased down and called out "Come in!"

A moment later, SIG Sauer entered the room. He had changed out of his exercise uniform. He still wore his belt, and he was carrying two black saddle bags; one on either side of his midsection. He immediately noticed the prince was out on the balcony. He grinned in his direction and proclaimed "Hello, Your Highness. I hope I'm not intruding."

"You're not, SIG," Bronze Star assured him, "The Colonel and I were just admiring the view. Care to join us?"

SIG Sauer shrugged and commented "I suppose so."

The pine green stallion sauntered across the room towards the balcony. On the way, he spotted the suitcase on the bed. He passed under the arch, approached the disguised Alicorn, and leaned on the rail next to him. They stood in silence at first, and then the Unicorn stated "I was coming to check up on you to see if you were almost ready. Since you're all packed up, I guess I don't really have to ask."

"Nope, I'm ready to head out at any time," Bronze Star affirmed.

"Good, we're leaving in about twelve minutes," SIG Sauer revealed, "That'll give us enough time to further discuss that matter we discussed earlier."

"You mean our scheme to capture Material Study?" Bronze Star assumed.

"Correct," SIG Sauer replied, "All nine members of my team have been informed that you've given the green light on the plan. Since Walther is next in the chain of command after me, I've given him provisional control of the unit. If they encounter any setbacks while we're in Ponyville, he'll be sure to apprise us. But he doesn't expect any problems; this is a relatively simple operation."

"It's **supposed** to be, at any rate," Bronze Star remarked, "Still, we cannot assume that it will be that easy to arrest Material Study. He may appear harmless, but looks can be deceiving, and nothing and nopony can be taken for granted."

SIG Sauer lightly nodded his head, turned to his front, and glumly thought aloud "I cannot deny that policy. If anypony knows it to be true, it would have to be me."

Bronze Star knew very well what the pine green stallion meant. He patted SIG Sauer on the shoulder and told him "I'm sorry if I reminded you of… that event."

"It isn't your fault, sire," SIG Sauer insisted, "I don't even know why that thought came to my mind. I'd like to say 'Let's just forget about it,' but how **could **I forget about that?"

"I don't think you should ever forget," Bronze Star declared, "But what you should do is take pleasure in the fact that such a thing has not recurred in the time since then."

"You're right, Your Highness," stated SIG Sauer. He stood up straight, retained his normally stern expression, and said in an impassive tone "I apologize for exhibiting that moment of weakness."

"It wasn't weakness; it was civility," Bronze Star debate, "And you don't have to apologize to me for that. Remember, if you ever need somepony to talk to, I'm willing to listen."

"I appreciate the offer, Your Majesty," SIG Sauer assured him, "But you shouldn't bother yourself. I'd hate to make my problems your problems."

"SIG, you may be my trainer, but I am still your prince," Bronze Star pointed out, "Since you're my subject, one of my royal duties is to make your problems my own and help you resolve them any way I can."

"I would be a fool to argue that, sir," SIG Sauer admitted, "I guess it's only right that we be there for each other."

"My thoughts exactly," Bronze Star said brightly. They stood in silence for a little while longer, and then the gold stallion inquired "Has Bellerophon been brought up to speed on the operation?"

"Yes, I spoke with him just before I came here," SIG Sauer answered him, "On that subject, I have something for you."

SIG Sauer then removed one of the saddle bags on his back and handed it to Bronze Star. As he did, he elucidated: "When I told Bellerophon that I was going to see you after our meeting, he asked me to bring this to you. Inside the bag are all the documents you'll need as the ambassador to Ponyville. All of them have 'Gold Streak' as the label."

Bronze Star placed the bag on his back and pronounced "Thanks. I was beginning to wonder when I would get those papers. Out of curiosity, what's in the other bag?"

"Just some more documents," SIG Sauer disclosed, "They're for me, though. I'll need them to prove that I'm licensed to oversee security matters. It's also got some equipment and weapons, which I only plan to use in case a crisis emerges."

"Are you expecting one to?" enquired the prince.

"Nope, but one can never be too sure," the pine green stallion responded. After another few seconds of quietness, he declared "We should probably get going soon. We wouldn't want to miss the transport."

"Very well," Bronze Star coincided. He turned to Colonel and gestured him to come forward. The hawk lifted himself off the rail, glided towards his master, and landed carefully on his shoulder. Colonel had talons as sharp as razors, but he handled them with extreme care so that he could avoid jabbing Bronze Star with them. Once he was perched on the gold stallion's shoulders, the prince and his trainer turned around and trotted back inside. Bronze Star proceeded to shut and bolt the door to the balcony.

Then he went to retrieve his suitcase. Since he would have had to pick it up with his moiuth, SIG Sauer used his magic to carry it for the prince. Bronze Star turned to his pet hawk and told him "Well, Colonel; looks like you're in charge for now. I'll 'report in' soon. Until then, keep this place secure, alright?"

Hawkins nodded his head sturdily. After that, he rose off his master's shoulder, flew across the room, and landed in an open cage which served as his bed.

Bronze Star and SIG Sauer left the room together. The gold stallion was sure to close and lock the door on their way out. Once it was sealed tight, he turned to his trainer and asked him "Where are we headed now?"

"Landing Platform 4," SIG Sauer apprised him, "We're travelling to Ponyville by chariot. Twilight Sparkle and Bellerophon are already there."

"Well, we should not force them to wait on us," Bronze Star advised.

"I concur," said SIG Sauer.

Without another word, the two stallions trotted down the hallways towards Landing Platform 4. They arrived there about six minutes later. They were just in time; the committee was supposed to depart in less than one minute. Sure enough, Twilight Sparkle and Bellerophon were right there. They were standing by a large gold chariot in the center of the platform.

Twilight Sparkle was embracing a large white stallion. He had a blue mane with an aqua stripe, azure eyes, and a dark blue shield with six-edged violet star as his cutie mark. He was Twilight's older brother and the current Captain of the Royal Guard, Shining Armor.

When they came apart, Shining Armor smiled down at his sister and told her humorously "Try not to have too much fun in Ponyville without me, L.S.B.F.F."

Twilight Sparkle gazed up at him sadly and professed "I'm not worried about having too much fun. I'll miss you, B.B.B.F.F."

He smiled, rubbed her cheek with his right front hoof, and told her "I'll miss you, too, Twilie. But promise me you'll at least **try **to enjoy yourself."

"Alright, I will," Twilight Sparkle assured him.

There were three other people on Landing Platform 4 at this time. Two of them were members of the Royal Guard. Both of them were white Pegasi in full armor, and they were harnessed to the front of the chariot. They would be flying the committee to Ponyville. The third person was a short baby dragon with purple scales, green spikes, and a tan hide. He was Spike, Twilight's assistant.

At this time, Spike was the only person seated in the chariot. He let out an impatient groan, turned to face the ponies, and beckoned them "Hurry up, you guys. We've got a schedule to keep!"

Bronze Star lightly rolled his eyes and bluntly remarked "Whatever you say, Spike."

After storing their luggage in the chariot's trunk, Bronze Star and SIG Sauer opened the door to the chariot and climbed in. Twilight Sparkle followed them shortly after, and Bellerophon closed the door after her.

"Aren't you getting in, Bellerophon?" enquired Spike.

"No, there's only room for four, Spike" the tall palomino Pegasus pointed out, "Due to my height, I doubt I'd fit with three of you anyway. I'll just fly alongside the chariot."

"That's fine, as long as you can keep up, Bellerohpon," SIG Sauer wittily professed.

"Oh, I'm quite confident I can get around on my own, SIG Sauer," the chief of staff retorted. He spread his wings, fluttered them energetically, and shot up into the air. For a brief moment, he seemed to have vanished, but in a flash, he reappeared a hundred feet in front of the chariot.

Although he spent most of his time standing at Princess Celestia's side, Bellerophon was definitely not lethargic. Even the best of the famed Wonderbolts could not outfly him. He smugly grinned and yelled to his colleagues "Now we must hit the air. We've got a long day ahead of us."

The three ponies and the dragon saw no reason to linger for any longer, so Bronze Star ordered the two stallions at the front of the chariot "Let's get going."

The two armored Pegasi extended their wings and sprinted down the platform with the chariot in tow. When they arrived at the edge, they dove off, took to the sky, and flapped towards Bellerophon. When soon reached the palomino stallion, he joined them and flew in the direction towards Ponyville.

Spike turned to the gold stallion and stated "So, Bronze, Twilight told me about what you're doing. I gotta say, I'm kinda surprised."

"About what?" asked the prince.

"I can't believe you'd give up your wings and horn just to travel somewhere," Spike clarified, "That's a lot to sacrifice for a little vacation time."

Bronze Star scoffed and stated "First off, this is work, not vacation time, Spike. Second, having magic and the ability to fly may seem like a big deal to you, but I can do without it for a while. I have to if I'm going to blend in with the citizens of Ponyville. Third, this change is totally reversible; I don't intend to be an Earth Pony forever. And fourth… I assume Twilight's also told you that I've changed my name for a while, too. For the time-being, you should call me 'Gold Streak' or just 'Gold.'"

"Okay, I get ya… Gold," Spike tentatively responded.

Bronze Star smirked at the baby dragon. However, his smirk faded slightly when he turned to Twilight Sparkle.

The lavender Unicorn had moved to the back of the chariot and placed her front hooves on the side. She was gazing back towards the landing platform, where Shining Armor was still standing. The Captain of the Royal Guard planned to watch the chariot until it faded into the distance. Even though the white Unicorn had encouraged his sister to be happy, he was still sad to see her leave so suddenly. He really was going to miss her while she was gone. Just as she would certainly miss him and their parents.

Bronze Star easily detected the hint of sadness in Twilight's eyes. He moved over to her, placed his hoof on her back, and told her "Don't be so morose, Twilight. I understand what you're going through. This is my first time to another province, too. Just keep this in mind: even though you'll be away from everypony in Canterlot, Spike and I are still here for you."

"Thanks, Bronze… I mean, Gold," Twilight said over her shoulder, "But I'm not distressed because I'm leaving my family. I'm distressed because… I'm worried that they won't be safe while I'm gone. You see, I'm almost certain that something's going to happen tomorrow. Something that will affect the lives of everypony in Equestria. Something that will change the course of history. And there's no telling if anypony will be able to stop it."


	5. Introduced

Bronze Star was intrigued by Twilight Sparkle's testimony. It was strangely vague and notably ominous at the same time. If he heard this from anypony else, he probably would have dismissed it as needless anxiety or a fib. However, he and Twilight Sparkle had been friends ever since Celestia had taken in the latter to be her apprentice. She may have been compulsive, but she was not one to invent stories or spread rumors without mitigating evidence. If she had a feeling something unusual would happen, he had to believe it. "What are you basing this theory on, Twilight?"

Twilight Sparkle spent the next several minutes recounting her activities from the past few hours. It all started very early that morning in the garden of the castle. She had been there by herself reading a book about the history of Equestria. Specifically, the part about when and how the country's ruling body had gone from a biarchy to a monarchy. She was very familiar with this story; she had heard it many times before. But what really stood out to her this time was the mention of a set of objects known as the "Elements of Harmony," which had been used to imprison Nightmare Moon in the moon itself. That compelled her to do a little research, which in turn led to her discovery that the Elements of Harmony were used to quell the fabled notorious Mare in the Moon. Twilight quickly became convinced that the Mare in the Moon and Nightmare Moon were the same mare, and that on the one-thousandth anniversary of banishment – which happened to be the one-thousandth anniversary of the Summer Sun Celebration – she would return to Equestria and subjugate the population to eternal darkness.

This was why Twilight had appeared so bothered during the meeting in the throne room. She was even more bothered right now. Despite her best efforts to convince Celestia of the legitimacy of her hypothesis, the lavender mare had failed to get the Princess to hear her out. Because of this, Twilight taken it upon herself to investigate the matter further.

"If it turns out I'm right, then Nightmare Moon will be free by tomorrow at sunrise," she wrapped up her explanation, "I have until then to find proof that will either confirm or deny my suspicions. I'm actually hoping that I'm wrong about this, but I'm not going to just wait around to find out."

"Won't you be a little too busy, seeing as how my mother's put you in charge of overseeing the preparations of the ceremony?" Bronze Star pointed out.

"I'm very good at multitasking, Bronze… er, 'Gold,'" Twilight brusquely responded, "I once studied for four exams in one night, and I took them all the following day. I managed to get perfect scores on all of them. With that in mind, I'm quite confident I can accomplish Celestia's assignment and my own objectives at the same time."

"What about the Princess' memo, Twilight?" Spike interjected.

"What memo?" Bronze Star enquired.

"Just before we left, Princess Celestia sent me a personal note," Twilight Sparkle apprised him, "It appears to be her attempt to 'discourage' me from pursuing anything more on Nightmare Moon. She believes I'm wasting my time."

"So do I," Spike commented, "Maybe it would do you some good if I repeated it for you, Twi."

Twilight Sparkle rested her head on her front hooves on the side of the chariot and muttered in exasperation "Fine, Spike. Go ahead."

At that, Spike took out a scroll and unrolled it. He cleared his throat and blithely read aloud "'My dear Twilight, there is more to a young pony's life than studying, so I'm sending you to supervise the preparations for the Summer Sun Celebration in this year's location: Ponyville. And, I have an even more essential task for you to complete: make some friends!'"

Spike was trying to sound sanguine, but his optimism was not having a profound effect on Twilight Sparkle. She merely rolled her eyes and sighed in annoyance.

By the time Spike was finished reading this message, Bronze Star happened to look up. Ponyville was directly in his line of sight. It must have been in Bellerophon's as well; for he announced to the stallions pulling the chariot "This settlement does not have a designated landing platform. We'll make our touchdown in the town square."

The two members of the Royal Guard acknowledged this statement and redirected their flight path towards the center of the town. As he continued flying alongside the chariot, Bellerophon told the other members of the committee "You'll each find your individual assignments in your knapsacks. As soon as we're on the ground, we'll go our separate ways."

Bronze Star and SIG Sauer nodded their heads in compliance. Twilight Sparkle listened to him, but she did not physically respond. She was still sulking a bit. Spike soon noticed this and stated "Look on the bright side, Twilight. The Princess arranged for you to stay in a library. Doesn't that make you happy?"

Twilight then raised herself up, brightened up a little, and said "Yes, yes it does. You know why? Because I'm right! I'll check on the preparations as fast as I can, then get to the library to find some proof of Nightmare Moon's return."

Spike appeared to be somewhat bothered by how firm Twilight seemed to be in this declaration. He asked tentatively "Then... when will you make friends, like the Princess said?"

Twilight Sparkle discreetly answered him with "She _said_ to check on preparations. I am her student, and I'll do my royal duty, but the fate of Equestria does not rest on me making friends."

SIG Sauer had been listening in on their conversation. He smirked and told the female Unicorn "Twilight, this may sound strange coming from me, but you worry too much. While I did say that **anything** could happen during the Summer Sun Celebration, I find it unlikely that we'd be faced with an ancient demon who wants to permanently extinguish daylight. If this town **is** in any danger, I'm certain we'd be able to handle the threats."

"SIG's right; there's no need to get worked up just yet," Bronze Star concurred. He was trying to sound reassuring. Obviously, his piece of advice was not what Twilight wanted to hear, if the expression on her face was any indication. After a few seconds of silence, he stated "Tell you what; once I'm done with all my tasks, I'll swing by the library and lend you a hoof on your research. But if we turn up with nothing, will you agree to let the matter go?"

"I suppose that's acceptable," Twilight thought aloud, "However, if we actually **do** find something that confirms my theory, will you help me bring the evidence to your mother?"

"Sure," Bronze Star guaranteed her, "Until then, let's just worry about what we're **supposed **to do."

By now, the two members of the Royal Guard had landed on the ground. Bellerophon set down next to the chariot and waited for his colleagues to disembark. Once Bronze Star, Twilight Sparkle, Spike, and SIG Sauer were out of the vehicle, the two white Pegasus stallions raised up on their hind legs and whinnied. Twilight Sparkle stepped up to them and said appreciatively "Thank you, sirs."

They both huffed in gratitude and proudly stood up straight. Twilight Sparkle, Bronze Star, SIG Sauer, and Spike turned their attention to Bellerophon. The large palomino Pegasus informed them "Now's the part where we split up. You all have your… instructions."

SIG Sauer went to the back of the chariot and removed his knapsack from the trunk, along with Twilight's and Bronze's. He tossed the bags to their respective owners, and then he opened up his own and removed a document labeled "Safety Examiner's Agenda." He declared "Looks like I'm off to the barracks. I have to gather whatever security forces this place has and use them to secure the perimeter around the town."

Bronze Star opened up his knapsack next and extracted a folder labeled "Envoy's Roster." He looked over the papers inside and proclaimed "I'm heading to the embassy. Once I'm settled in, I'll be meeting with some of the department heads on the City Council. I'll be debriefing them on the most recent events in Canterlot, and they'll be filling me in on the most recent events here."

Twilight Sparkle used her magic to open up her knapsack and Spike took out an article with the title "Official Overseer's Checklist." He studied it for a few moments, and then he informed the lavender Unicorn "We'll be all over the town, Twilight. Our first stop is at a farm on one of its borders."

"I'll be in Town hall, discussing the situation and the specifics of the ceremony with the mayor and the rest of the City Council," Bellerophon notified his colleagues, "We'll have a lot to debate about, so our appointment may last several hours. Even if it doesn't, I'll be staying at Town Hall until tomorrow at sunrise. The rest of you can come to me at any time if you encounter any obstacles or setbacks."

The four ponies acquired their baggage from the back of the chariot. Bellerophon was the first to depart. He rose back into the air and flew off to the north towards the town hall.

When he had all his materials, SIG Sauer approached the two guards and ordered them "Both of you, come with me. Since this town does not have a large security force, we could use some reinforcements. Having a couple members of the Royal Guard around could make a huge difference."

The two stallions consented to SIG Sauer's directive, as he had authority over them. They moved the chariot off to an alleyway where it would not be in anypony's way. Then they detached themselves from it and went with SIG Sauer to the west towards the barracks.

Bronze Star was now left alone with Twilight Sparkle and Spike. After a short period of silence, he stated "Well, I shouldn't keep the City Council waiting. I guess I'll see you guys at the library."

"Okay," Twilight approved. With that, Bronze Star took his knapsack and suitcase, and he trotted to the east towards the embassy.

When he was about a block away, he looked over his shoulder and noticed that Twilight and Spike were still in the town square. However, they were not alone. A light pink mare with a poofy pink mane had approached them. At first, it appeared as though she was talking to the Unicorn and the dragon. But without any warning, she jumped ten feet into the air and zipped away from the scene. Twilight and Spike watched her leave in stunned silence, and then they simply headed to the south towards the aforementioned farm.

Bronze simply chuckled and uttered under his breath "Looks like she's **already** making friends."

…

The walk to the embassy was not long, but Bronze Star enjoyed it. There were ponies walking through all the streets, and none of them paid him any mind. He was grateful for that; this was the first time he had been in public without anypony gawking over him. This compelled him to believe that he had a reasonable chance of living a civilian life in this town.

When he reached the embassy, he wasted no time in getting settled into his room. It only took him about fifteen minutes to unpack. However, he spent another ten minutes finding a secure hiding spot for the two folders he had extracted from the filing cabinet in his quarters back home. Ultimately, he chose to place them in the medicine cupboard in the washroom. He would work on a better hiding spot later. For now, he had more pressing matters to attend to.

The ambassador's room was located on the second floor of the embassy. After he hid those folders, Bronze Star headed downstairs to the seminar room. The City Council was already assembled there. This was not the entire Council; just the members whose departments contributed to the government on both the local and federal levels. They had been talking amongst themselves about various subjects, but when Bronze Star entered the room, they quieted down out of respect.

The Council was seated at a rectangular table. There were six chairs on the long sides and one on the short sides. There were twelve department heads in total; each one of them occupied one of the chairs on the long ends. The names of their respective departments were imprinted on the fronts and backs of their chairs. The two chairs on the short ends were empty. The chair furthest away from Bronze Star had "Mayor" as its label. Bronze Star knew that this chair would remain empty for the duration of the meeting, seeing as how the mayor was currently speaking with the rest of the Council and Bellerophon at Town Hall. The chair closest to him was labeled "Ambassador." He calmly approached this chair and sat down in it.

"Good day, Mr. Ambassador," greeted the mare in the "Economic Development" chair.

"You may simply refer to me as 'Gold Streak,' ma'am," he informed her, "On that note, I would like to know how I should address each of you."

The twelve mares and stallions all gave Bronze Star their names and positions. Most of their titles were self-explanatory, such as "Finance," "Housing & Buildings," "Public Safety," "Environmental Protection," "Land Use," and "Transportation." After formal introductions were exchanged, they proceeded to debate with their new ambassador on official business.

Bronze Star expected this meeting to last about an hour or two. It probably would have, had this not been the eve of the Summer Sun Celebration. Because of this, there were a lot more subjects that needed to be covered in more explicit detail. Half of the time, Bronze Star was informing the department heads of everything that had been going on in Canterlot which pertained to their fields. The other half of the time, they apprised him of everything that had happened in Ponyville which deserved the notice of the central government. Many complex questions were swapped; most of them received adequate answers, and the rest were currently indeterminate.

Altogether, about five hours elapsed from when the meeting began and when it ended. One would think that Bronze Star would be relieved once it was over. Quite the contrary, he vocally stated that he looked forward to speaking with the Council again. As ambassador to Ponyville, he was required to meet with them once a week to conduct a barter of information. After working out a proper date and time, the thirteen ponies departed from the seminar room.

Bronze Star led the Council members to the main entrance of the building. He held the door open for them and bid each one of the mares and stallions good day as they left. Once they were all gone, Bronze Star prepared to close the door behind them. However, just before he shut it, he noticed two more ponies were standing just outside the front gate, and one of them was SIG Sauer.

Rather than stay inside the embassy, the disguised prince decided to leave it and rendezvous with his friends. He swiftly shut the door behind him and approached the front gate. The pine green Unicorn quickly spotted the gold stallion and waved at him with his right front hoof.

When he passed through the front gate, Bronze Star saw that the person in SIG Sauer's company was a female Earth Pony. She had a red coat, a lilac mane, grey irises, and a law-enforcement badge for a cutie mark.

"Good evening, SIG," Bronze Star casually greeted his trainer, "Who's your friend?"

"Sir, I would like you to meet Noble Edict, the chief of security in Ponyville," the Unicorn introduced his companion, "Noble, this is Gold Streak, the town's newly-appointed ambassador."

"Ah, pleasure to make your acquaintance, Mr. Ambassador," the mare remarked, holding out her right front hoof to Bronze Star.

The gold stallion took her hoof in his and shook it vigorously, saying "The pleasure is all mine, ma'am."

After the hoof-shake, Bronze Star asked the two of them "So, is the town secure?"

"Yes, absolutely secure," SIG Sauer replied, "Or at least, as secure as it could be, considering the limited amount of resources at our disposal."

Noble Edict chuckled and stated "Sir, I understand that our security efficiency is not up to the standards of Canterlot Castle, but it is more than sufficient to accomplish what needs to be done here. My people know how to do their jobs."

"I'm not questioning your staff's competency, Noble," SIG Sauer candidly assured her, "I am merely taking into account the concerns of one of our colleagues. She's fairly certain the apocalypse will soon be upon us, or something like that. As a result, she's worried that everypony in Equestria is in imminent danger."

Noble Edict raised an eyebrow in perplexity and commented "The apocalypse, huh? Well, I'm not sure we're equipped to deal with** that**."

"He's exaggerating," Bronze Star assured her, "However, he's not lying about our colleague's anxiety. Come; trot with us. We'll tell you the full story."

The three ponies then left the embassy and headed towards the library. On the way there, SIG Sauer and Bronze Star explained that Twilight Sparkle had learned about a possible connection between the legend of the Mare in the Moon and the historical significance of Nightmare Moon. By the time they reached the library, they had told her everything.

When they were finished, Noble Edict merely shrugged in amazement and commented "This is all quite fascinating. I don't know how much of it is real. For the sake of daylight, let's hope none of it is."

"You don't seem that convinced that it's a hoax, Miss Edict," Bronze Star observed.

"Well, the other day… I saw something," Noble Edict informed him, "Something that may be connected to this whole 'Nightmare Moon' affair."

"What was it?" inquired SIG Sauer.

"It may be best if we wait until I met your associate to disclose that information," Noble Edict suggested.

"Fair enough," Bronze Star coincided. As the three ponies approached the front door, SIG Sauer remarked "Between you and me, I'm actually quite **glad **that Twilight's staying here."

"I hear you," Bronze Star frankly stated, "After sitting in a board room having a prolonged conversation with twelve members of the City Council, it'll be a relief to have some peace and quiet for a while."

With that, he opened the door to the library and stepped inside. Immediately, his ears were overwhelmed by the collective sounds of scores of voices talking over each other. The reason for that was quickly made clear: the library was not empty. In fact, there were dozens of ponies all around the front room. Some were socializing, some were eating, and some were playing games. It was as if there was a huge party going on.

Noble Edict and SIG Sauer entered after Bronze Star, and the latter cheekily noted "Apparently, we'll have to wait a little longer, sir."

"Evidently," Bronze Star muttered in disappointment, "Oh well; let's see if we can find Twilight and Spike in this mob."

The two stallions and the mare moved through the crowd of ponies. After about a minute of aimlessly searching, they spotted Spike at the far end of the room, talking to five young mares. The first was an orange Earthy Pony with a blonde mane, green eyes, a brown cowgirl hat, and three apples for a cutie mark. The second was a cyan Pegasus with a rainbow mane, magenta eyes, and a cloud with a lightning bolt for a cutie mark. The third was a grey Unicorn with a purple mane, blue eyes, and three diamonds for a cutie mark. The fourth was a yellow Pegasus with a pink mane, teal eyes, and three butterflies for a cutie mark. The fifth was a pink Earth Pony with a pink mane, light blue eyes, and three balloons for a cutie mark. Bronze Star recognized the last mare as the pony he had seen talking to Twilight earlier.

He slowly approached the group and said to the dragon "Hey, Spike. Getting to know the townsfolk?"

"You could say that, Gold," Spike drily commented, "Where have you been? I've been waiting for you to arrive for over an hour."

"Sorry; the meeting at the embassy lasted a little longer than I thought it would," Bronze Star informed him. He gazed around the room and inquired "Where's Twilight?"

"Upstairs, doing some research," answered the dragon, pointing at a door over his shoulder, "But she asked not to be disturbed. It might be best to just let her be for now."

"I gotta say, that filly seemed a mite… shall we say, standoffish," the orange mare remarked openly.

"Oh, don't mind her," said Bronze Star, "She's just a little bashful around new faces."

"Oh… okay, we can understand that," the yellow mare timidly pronounced, avoiding eye contact with the gold stallion.

At that moment, the pink mare turned to Bronze Star and SIG Sauer. Her eyes dilated in surprise, as if they had appeared out of thin air. SIG Sauer enquired in apprehension "Are you alright?"

Immediately after this, the pink mare jumped into the air and gasped in surprise. Then she dropped to the ground and spoke in a very fast pace: "Oh my gosh, hi there! I have no idea who you are! But that's good; that means I don't know you! And if I don't know you, that means I have a chance to make a new friend. I love making new friends. It's like the best thing ever, don't you think? What's your name? My name's Pinkie Pie. What's yours? I so very happy to get to meet you; you and I are going to be such great pals. I cannot wait to get to know you better. We'll-"

The cyan mare quickly stepped up to the pink mare and placed her front hoof over her mouth.

"Control yourself, Pinkie," the cyan mare urged her friend.

The pink mare slowly nodded her head and eased down.

"We'd like to apologize for her eccentric behavior," the grey mare told Bronze Star and SIG Sauer. "She tends to become overexcited very easily."

"But we can assure ya, she means well," the orange mare stated, placing her hoof on the pink mare's shoulders. She then stepped forward, tilted her hat towards the stallions, and proclaimed "My name's Applejack, by the way."

The grey mare stepped forward, twirled her mane once, and stated "And you may call me Rarity."

"I'm Flut…Fluttershy," the yellow mare whispered softly, hiding her face behind her mane.

The cyan mare lifted herself into the air and proudly declared "You may have heard of me before. I'm the one and only Rainbow Dash!"

"Sorry, doesn't ring a bell," SIG Sauer wittily professed, at which Rainbow Dash glowered in irritation.

"And I'm Pinkie Pie!" the pink mare yelled giddily.

"We know," Bronze Star bluntly retorted. He gestured to the pine green stallion and announced "This is SIG Sauer, and I'm Gold Streak."

At that remark, all five mares – including Fluttershy – bore an expression of fascination.

"Really?" stated Rainbow Dash, "So **you're **our new ambassador?"

"That's correct," Bronze Star confirmed.

"Oh, that's just… lovely," Fluttershy happily avowed.

"It's not just lovely!" Pinkie Pie shouted energetically, bouncing up and down "It's unbelievably amazing! Now he's both our friend and a pony in high places!"

"Umm… I suppose you could say that," Bronze Star remarked, trying to sound humble.

"Well then, on behalf of the entire town, we'd like to officially welcome you to Ponyville, sugar cube!" Applejack merrily broadcasted.

"We hope you enjoy your stay here, darling," Rarity declared, "Celestia knows **we** certainly will."

Bronze Star smiled widely and commented "You have no idea how thrilled I am to hear you say that."

He had meant this like he said it. He was unequivocally elated to see that these mares were so warm and receptive. He had been in Ponyville for less than six hours, and he had already made substantial progress in integrating himself into their society.

He wondered if there were more ponies in town like these mares. Before long, he would discover that there were not. In fact, these five ponies were quite different from everypony else in Equestria. There was something about them that made them profoundly unique and special. But Bronze Star did not know of it yet. Neither did they.


	6. Foresight

Although Bronze Star had already made some significant progress in transitioning from royal life to civilian life, he figured that he could integrate himself much further by interacting with the residents of Ponyville. He felt that partaking in the party would be a good way to begin this endeavor. He made a mental note to speak to Twilight Sparkle later on. For now, he wanted to ease back and enjoy some social merriment.

He decided to start by striking up a conversation with the five mares. All of them seemed to have radically different personas, which implied that their interests may have been equally diverse. With that in mind, he was initially uncertain about how to open up the discussion. However, he quickly noted that all of the mares appeared to be in their early twenties. That implied that each of them must have had a job. So perhaps they would like to talk about their work.

"So, what do you mares do for a living?" he inquired in interest.

All five of them opened their mouths at once, as if they were going to answer in unison. Bronze Star held up his hoof and requested politely "One at a time, please."

Rarity spoke first. She told Bronze Star with a note of pride in her voice "Well, darling, I run the fanciest dress emporium in Ponyville, Carousel Boutique."

"I've heard of that shop," stated Bronze Star, "Your designs have attracted quite a bit of attention in the capital city.."

"Oh, that's simply divine!" Rarity squealed in happiness, "I've always wanted to make a name for myself in the fashion industry."

"Well, I wish you luck in that pursuit," Bronze Star told her, "It's always good to have ambitions."

"Can't argue with that," Rainbow Dash remarked. Right now, she was hovering in the air above Bronze Star's head. She publicized "I manage the weather patterns in the sky. Everything that falls from the clouds to the ground is produced by me. Rain, snow, sleet, the works."

"The weather in Canterlot is fairly consistent," Bronze Star explicated, "Clear skies are pleasant, but they can be a little monotonous at times. It'll be nice to have some variety."

Fluttershy had her turn next. Despite her somewhat insecure demeanor, she managed to look Bronze Star in the eye and tell him "I have my own animal shelter at my cottage, just outside the neighborhood. There are dozens of different types of animals there. Dogs, cats, mice, birds, and critters of all sorts, including my pet bunny Angel. Do you have a pet?"

"Actually, yes," Bronze Star replied, "I have a pet hawk. His name is Arthur D. Hawkins, but I call him 'Colonel.' He's as fierce and faithful as animals come."

"Did you bring him with you?" asked Fluttershy.

"No, he's still in Canterlot," the gold stallion informed her, "Depending on what happens here, I may have him move in with me at the embassy."

Out of nowhere, Pinkie Pie jumped in between him and Fluttershy and blurted out rapidly "I actually have not one, but two jobs! I work with Mr. and Mrs. Carrot and Cup Cake at Sugar Cube Corner, and I throw parties! However, I only get paid for throwing parties if somepony asks me to throw one. I don't really get paid for throwing parties on my own. But it's time-consuming and it keeps me busy, so I guess it counts as a job. I love my work; it's the best part of my day! And my night!"

"I see," Bronze Star muttered awkwardly. He gazed around the room and perceived "I take it you were the one who arranged **this** party?"

"Yes, indeedily!" she confirmed happily. She then procured a cupcake out of nowhere and handed it to Bronze Star, saying giddily "Here, have a free cupcake."

Bronze Star accepted the cupcake and scoffed in amusement. Then he turned to Applejack and stated "Guess that leaves you."

"Yup," she coincided, beaming slightly, "I work at my family's ranch, Sweet Apple Acres. We grow the finest apples in all of Equestria. Here, try one."

She picked up an apple from a nearby table and gave it to Bronze Star. He accepted it with his free front hoof and took a large bite. He chewed it a few times and swallowed hearitly. He raised an eyebrow and declared "Mmmm… Wow, this is… I can honestly say this is the best apple I've ever eaten."

"Why, thank ya kindly," stated Applejack, "I'm flattered to hear that."

"Well, it's the truth," Bronze Star assured her, taking another bite, "You should be proud of your agriculture. As well as the defining role it has played in Ponyville."

"What do you mean?" asked Applejack in mild confusion.

"Wasn't Sweet Apple Acres the very first establishment to be put up in this town?" Bronze Star observed.

"Yeah, my Granny was there when it was founded," Applejack answered him, "How did you know this?"

"I did plenty of research on the history of this town," Bronze Star elucidated, "From what I've read, the Apple family has contributed more to its development than any other clan. That's quite an accomplishment."

Applejack lightly shrugged and said "I suppose it is. I never really saw it that way."

"Oh, why do you always have to be so humble, AJ?" Rainbow Dash remarked snappily, landing next to the farm pony, "The guy's giving you a compliment; you should welcome it."

"There's nothing wrong with modesty," Bronze Star told the weather pony, "To be frank, it's a relief to meet somepony who doesn't take every opportunity to gloat about her achievements. That's quite rare in my line of work. Most of the time, the only people I confer with are policymakers, delegates, or military officials. Whenever they're not discussing governmental reform or national politics, they're marveling over their most recent triumph. That can get **very **tedious at times."

"I find that a little hard to believe," Fluttershy stated tenderly, "I'm not saying you're a liar… It's just… well, you seem to be a stallion who values his work very highly."

"I am," the gold stallion remarked, "I'm a very busy pony. I cannot abide the idea of being unproductive."

"That's rather… splendid of you," Pinkie Pie professed. For once, she was speaking in a tranquil and discreet voice.

"I must say, darling, you're a lot livelier than our last ambassador," Rarity pointed out.

"Yeah, and you're awful young for somepony with that much responsibility, sugarcube," Applejack noted.

"I'm not that young," Bronze Star revealed, "I'm twenty-five."

"That's a surprise," Fluttershy muttered softly, "Most of the representatives from Canterlot tend to be middle-aged."

"A pony's age is not directly proportional to his capabilities in the workforce," Bronze Star professed, "I can assure you; I'm suitably qualified for this position. If I wasn't, Celestia would not have assigned me here."

This last remark caught the attention of all five mares.

"The Princess sent you herself?" Pinkie Pie queried.

"Yes, she did," Bronze Star affirmed, "She directly selects all her emissaries."

"How well do you know her?" asked Rarity.

"Very well," Bronze Star replied, "But that's all I can say. I cannot tell you about anything about the nature of my relationship with Princess Celestia, or anything that goes on at the castle. I'm under oath not to discuss any of that outside of Canterlot."

The five mares were content with this response, albeit a bit disappointed. Before long, they changed the subject. For a while, they talked more about their personal lives. For obvious reasons, Bronze Star did not contribute much to this topic. Fortunately, he had no shortage of engaging themes to converse on.

Altogether, the conversation lasted for approximately two hours. After that, Bronze Star left the group and went around the room to meet some of the other ponies. He encountered some rather interesting characters, including a beige Earth Pony with a fluctuating voice, a mint green Unicorn with a strange interest in creatures with opposable digits, and a grey cross-eyed Pegasus.

Sometime after midnight, Bronze Star recalled that Twilight Sparkle was still upstairs working by herself. He was starting to tire of the party, so he decided he may as well to go upstairs and assist his friend with her research. He noticed SIG Sauer and Noble Edict were standing in a corner of the room speaking to each other; most likely on business matters. He went over to them and stated "I'm going to talk to Twilight. You guys wanna come along, or would you prefer to stay here?"

"We'll remain down here," Noble Edict responded, "A festivity this large in a space this small needs supervisors. Plus, we're a little preoccupied with reviewing the security measures for the ceremony."

"Alright," Bronze Star agreed, "I'll be upstairs if you need me."

He trotted over to a door on the opposite side of the room, opened it, went through it, and closed it. The noise in the front room faded a modicum, but it was still very audible. This next room had two stories. The first floor was circular and had shelves of books adorning the walls, much like the previous room. The second floor was wider, and there was a lot of furniture spread across it. There were no lamps or candles in this room; the only source of light was the glare of the moon which entered through the window on the upper level. Bronze Star could barely make out Twilight lying on a bed in the center of the higher level.

Bronze Star ambled over to the staircase at the far end of the room and climbed to the top of it. When he was at the same altitude as Twilight, he asked rhetorically "Could you use some help?"

His sudden outburst startled her a bit, but when she realized it was him, she eased down and said gratefully "Sure."

Bronze Star moved over to a seat next to the bed and sat down. He noticed that Twilight had a tall pile of books next to the bed. She was trying to read one of them, which proved to be a bit of a complication due to the racket and lack of light. It was difficult enough just to glimpse through the books.

"You don't seem particularly comfortable with your studying environment," Bronze Star observed.

"Probably because of how loud and dusky it is in here," Twilight Sparkle sarcastically commented.

"Well, there's plenty of room at the embassy," Bronze Star notified her, "If you want a more private, brighter place to work, we could move there."

"That sounds nice, but it would be a little time-consuming," stated Twilight, "The embassy is located all the way across town. It would take us a while to lug all these books there. We can make do with what we've got here."

"If you insist," was all Bronze Star said in response. He held his front hoof out and requested "Give me a book."

She nodded, used her magic to pick a book off the top of the pile, and transferred it to Bronze Star's hoof. He went to work examining its contents as Twilight returned to her book.

Twilight had been unable to find anything that focused exclusively on the Elements of Harmony. She had to resort to books that pertained to Nightmare Moon, the Mare in the Moon, or that had been written before Celestia became the sole leader of Equestria. She knew there were more books in the front room, but she did not want to go back out there while the party was still going on. Her current pool of information was not very vast, but Twilight was holding out hope that one of her sources would at least mention the Elements of Harmony.

Bronze Star had more luck than her. Two hours later, he was skimming through a book entitled "Ancient Mystical Tools of Defense and Attack." Halfway through, he came across a page that contained the phrase "Elements of Harmony." He decided to thoroughly read the whole column. It turned out the Elements of Harmony were only a minor part. The passage mainly focused on another object that was sometimes used alongside the Elements. A detailed illustration of this object was included.

"I think I found something," he announced to Twilight.

She looked up from her book and gazed in his direction. He scooted closer to her and held the book so that they could both make out the contents of the page. Twilight focused on the illustration first. It appeared to be a drawing of a cloak or a cape. She inquired in interest "What is it?"

"It's called 'The Shroud of Valor,'" Bronze Star enlightened her, "According to this, the Elements of Harmony could be used to vanquish malevolent forces. However, the wielder of the Elements was still vulnerable to an attack when they were in use. The Shroud of Valor was utilized to shield the wielder from any threat of hostile retaliation."

Twilight Sparkle was impressed by this knowledge. She asked in curiosity "Does it say when or where the Shroud of Valor was last used?"

Bronze Star turned to the next page of the book and continued reading. Then he stated "The locations are excluded, but here's a list of all the known dates the Shroud of Valor was employed. The last one was exactly one thousand years ago today. The same day Nightmare Moon was banished."

"And the last time the Elements of Harmony were used," Twilight pointed out. She lightly grinned and stated "This is probably the best resource we've gotten all night, Bronze. I'm going to browse through the shelves again and look for anything related to the Shroud of Valor. If we can find it, we may be able to find the Elements of Harmony, too."

"Now that's good wishful thinking," commented Bronze Star.

Twilight had managed to find two more books that focused primarily on the Shroud of Valor, and six others that mentioned it in certain sections. She and Bronze spent most of the next hour methodically studying these books. At one point, Bronze happened to look at the clock next to the window.

"It's three in the morning," he announced, "The sun will be up in three hours."

"That means we've got three more hours to find some conclusive evidence about Nightmare Moon's return," Twilight presumed.

Bronze Star chuckled and remarked "Twilight, I appreciate your resolve, but you should probably take a break from this exhaustive research and get some rest. You've been awake for nearly twenty-four hours."

"So have you," she pointed out.

"Yes, but Alicorns don't require as much sleep as other ponies," Bronze contended, "My mother once stayed up for a whole week without any sign of fatigue."

"Well, aren't you supposed to be passing yourself off as an Earth Pony?" Twilight disputed, "You know, seeing as how you're going undercover and all."

"That didn't stop you from calling me 'Bronze' a moment ago," he countered. He placed his hoof on her shoulder and told his friend "Twilight, I'm not trying to sound overbearing or anything like that. I just don't think it'd do you any good if you keep putting all this pressure on yourself. At this rate, you'll have worn yourself out by the time of the ceremony. I'm sure you don't want that."

Twilight reflected on Bronze Star's assessment, and she had to admit that he was making a very valid and logical argument. Despite her desire to continue her research, she did not want to be too drained to attend the ceremony. So she gave in and stated "Alright, I guess I'll lie down for a few hours. I cannot guarantee I'll get any sleep, but I will try to settle down."

"I can always count on you to make the smart choice," Bronze Star proclaimed, smirking. He cleared off the books on the bed so that Twilight had plenty of room to spread herself out. Then she stretched her front and hind legs, yawned loudly, rested her head on the pillows, and closed her eyes. Bronze Star pulled the comforter over her and gently patted her on the shoulder. He informed her "I'll be out in the front room if you need me. I'll tell the others to keep it down a little."

"Thanks," she muttered without opening her eyes, "I guess I'll be seeing you around."

Bronze Star quietly descended the staircase, approached the door on the ground floor, and went back out into the front room. He had braced himself for the huge wave of commotion on the other side, but he made certain to shut the door quickly so that it would not bother Twilight.

He found that the crowd had decreased to about half of its original size since he left the room. Spike hanging out with a young filly. She was an Earth Pony with a yellow coat, a red mane, a large pink bow in her hair, and no cutie mark. As Bronze Star approached the two of them, the baby dragon soon noticed him. He cordially remarked "Hey, Gold. How's Twilight doing?"

"She and I have made some progress on her research," Bronze Star apprised him, "However, I've managed to convince her to take a break. Do you suppose you could get everypony to decrease the level of noise in here for a while?"

"I could try," Spike proposed, "But I can't promise anything. These ponies really know how to party."

"So I see," commented Bronze Star. He gazed around the room as if he was looking for somepony in particular. He was actually searching for two ponies, but he could not spot either one. He turned back to Spike and enquired "Have you seen SIG Sauer and Noble Edict?"

"Yeah, they left about thirty minutes ago," answered Spike, "You see, a group of Royal Guard arrived shortly before that. SIG told me that he and Noble needed to go to Town Hall to give the officers their assignments."

"Alright, thanks," stated Bronze Star approvingly. He headed over to the library's front entrance and called over his shoulder "If Twilight comes downstairs, tell her she can find me at Town Hall."

"Got it!" Spike acknowledged.

Bronze Star then left the library and made his way through the city streets. Since it was three o'clock in the morning, there was very little activity going on outside. The streets were nearly deserted and most of the houses had all their lights off. But Bronze Star wagered that it would not be long before the whole town was up again.

Soon he reached Town Hall. Unlike the rest of the neighborhood, this building was bustling with activity. There were Earth Ponies on the exterior of the first floor, Unicorns on the veranda of the second floor, and Pegasi flying along the roof. Half of them appeared to be in Royal Guard armor. The rest of them were wearing uniforms of typical security officers. A stallion dressed in the latter type of apparel was standing at the main entrance.

When Bronze Star approached the front entrance, the stallion stepped in front of him and told him in a gruff voice "Sir, this area is restricted until 0500 hours. Only people with government clearance may enter before then."

"Right," Bronze Star commented. Fortunately for him, he was still wearing his knapsack from earlier. He snapped it open, removed a thick folded piece of leather, and gave it to the security guard, saying "Here you are."

The stallion took the piece of leather and unfolded it. This was Bronze Star's badge as the envoy to Ponyville. After a few seconds, the guard handed it back to Bronze Star, stepped to the side, and told him apologetically "Oh, pardon me, Mr. Ambassador. Go right in."

There were many more ponies inside Town Hall. This crowd was not limited to the Royal Guard and Ponyville's security force. The Mayor and all of City Council were gathered there as well. They were reviewing the intended outline of the Summer Sun Celebration with Bellerophon.

SIG Sauer and Noble Edict were near the center of the lobby, supervising all the activities of the guards. The gold stallion approached the two of them and proclaimed "I see you two have wasted no effort in securing this place."

"Indeed not, sir," Noble Edict concurred, "In fact, if we bring in any more of the Royal Guard, we may as well declare martial law."

"It may **seem** that way, Noble," SIG Sauer perceived, "However, if we **did** declare martial law, we would not use the Royal Guard. There's a private division of the army that's specially trained for that line of work. We call them the Constabulary Contingent."

"Is that so?" stated the red mare, intrigued, "I was unaware that there's an entire section of the army dedicated to public law enforcement."

"I didn't say martial law was the Contingent's **only **directive," SIG Sauer clarified, "If it was, we wouldn't have much use for it. There hasn't been an insurrection in this country for centuries, and civil unrest has no place in Equestria. The Contingent exists mostly as a precautionary measure, in case of a sudden national crisis or something. Once you've been in the military for at least three years, you can apply for admission into it."

"Were you ever part of that troop, sir?" inquired Noble Edict.

"No, my career in the military was limited to the regular army and Special Forces," SIG Sauer expounded, "The commander of the Constabulary Contingent once tried to recruit me, but I turned his offer down. However, my son was recently accepted into the Contingent. He tells me that the exercises and programs are difficult, but he has not regretted his decision."

Noble Edict raised an eyebrow in fascination and remarked "You have a son in the military?"

"Yes, he's been a soldier for almost five years," Bronze Star replied for his trainer, "You could say that SIG's entire family is involved in some very prestigious organization whose fundamental purpose is to serve the greater good. His daughter is enrolled in Princess Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns. She's actually a classmate of our associate Twilight Sparkle. She has an aptitude for medicinal spells, and her ambition is to become a doctor."

"An admirable goal," commented Noble Edict, "We could always use more physicians. After all, the public relies on people like myself and Mr. Sauer to keep them safe, but what they really need are more people who can keep them **well**."

"My daughter sees it that way, as well," SIG Sauer professed.

"How old are your children?" queried Noble Edict.

"My son is twenty-two, and my daughter is nineteen," SIG Sauer responded, "Even though the three of us lead very busy lives and don't see each other that often, I'm just as close to them as I was when they were foals. Don't tell anypony else this, but they're the only things in the world that I value more than my work."

"What about your wife?" stated Noble Edict cheekily "Are you and she not on good terms?"

SIG Sauer grimaced at this remark. He appeared angered by it at first, but after a moment, he just turned away from Noble Edict and frowned in despair.

The red mare asked in concern "What? Did I say something to offend you?"

Once again, Bronze Star answered for his trainer. He leaned up to Noble's ear and whispered "Let's just say that he and his wife are not on **any **terms. But they were on **very** close terms when she was still around."

Noble Edict quickly realized what the gold stallion meant. She turned to SIG Sauer and told him "I'm so sorry, sir. I can't believe I just said that…"

"It's alright, Noble; you didn't know," the pine green stallion interrupted, gazing back at Noble Edict, "I suppose the fault is partly my own. After all, we've been together for almost every minute of the past fifteen hours, and I never once thought to mention that I had children until now. However, I would prefer it if we did not talk about my wife."

"Alright, then we'll just talk about something else," Noble Edict decided.

"In that case, perhaps we can discuss that thing you saw the other day, Noble," Bronze Star proposed.

"What thing, Mr. Streak?" she asked in confusion.

"Earlier on, you said you saw an anomaly that you believed may have been related to Nightmare Moon," Bronze Star reminded her.

"So I did," she assented, "To be honest, I'm not entirely certain **what **it was. All I do know is that it was highly abnormal and of unknown origin."

"Tell us what you witnessed," SIG Sauer requested.

"It happened in the early morning, just after I completed the night shift at the hospital," Noble Edict recounted, "I was walking home when a bright blue flash of light erupted in the sky. The ball of light descended to the ground with tremendous velocity, like a meteor. It landed somewhere in the Everfree Forest. I went to investigate, and I found a huge spherical cluster of energy in a clearing. It emanated a strange humming sound which got progressively louder as I got closer to it. I managed to get close enough to physically touch the energy cloud, and once I did, the humming sound ceased. Despite being made of energy, the surface of the cloud was solid. I examined it from all sides, and it did not appear to pose any discernable threat. Ultimately, I left the energy cloud, but I decided to keep it under watch until further notice. I couldn't afford to spare anypony from my own detail, so I sought out three volunteers – deputies, if you would – to attend to the energy cloud. They're not trained, but they're all reliable. I've instructed them to return to town and alert me if anything new happens with the anomaly."

"Intriguing," Bronze Star observed, "That's definitely not something you'd encounter every day. However, what makes you believe this energy cloud is related to Nightmare Moon?"

"Truthfully, nothing," Noble Edict admitted, "However, Nightmare Moon's actions would probably be the most rational explanation for the energy cloud's presence. If she was able to blot out the Sun for a short time, it would be relatively simple for her to create a stable ball of energy."

"That's certainly a logical observation," stated SIG Sauer, "However, we shouldn't jump to conclusions just yet. Perhaps we should send a magic expert to conduct a more thorough examination of the cloud."

"We can do that after the Summer Sun Celebration," Noble Edict recommended, "For now, our priority is to provide security for the ceremony."

Bronze Star and SIG Sauer agreed to this arrangement. After about twenty minutes, the pine green stallion and the red mare went to conduct another inspection of the grid formed by the Canterlot Royal Guard and the Ponyville security officers. There were still two more hours until the sun was supposed to rise; Bronze Star wanted to find another way to pass the time. He soon noticed that Bellerophon was no longer conversing with the Mayor and her staff. So he chose to spend the next two hours with the chief of staff.

They talked about a variety of subjects, such as what they had accomplished since they arrived in town, what they planned to do after the ceremony, how the quiet life in Ponyville compared to the eventful life in Canterlot, and how Bronze Star had adapted to living as an Earth Pony. An hour before the sun was supposed to rise, the doors of Town Hall were open to the public. Bronze Star and Bellerophon decided to go upstairs where they could continue speaking in relative silence.

While they were upstairs, Bronze Star brought up the matter of Nightmare Moon. Bellerophon was more than willing to listen, so Bronze Star recounted everything he and Twilight Sparkle had learned in the past few hours. At first, the young prince thought the palomino Pegasus would choose to dismiss the whole Nightmare Moon affair as needless worrying. However, as Celestia's chief of staff, Bellerophon took all threats to her reign very seriously, even if the only proof of one was in the form of a prophecy.

Princess Celestia was scheduled to arrive just ten minutes before she was supposed to raise the Sun. Bellerophon asked Bronze Star if he would like to speak to his mother on the affair once she reached Town Hall. The young prince figured he may as well. After all, he had promised Twilight Sparkle that he would help her bring any new news of Nightmare Moon to Celestia. While their evidence was debatably circumstantial, it was still enough to present a case. So he decided to just wait patiently until his mother got in.

Five minutes before the six o'clock sunrise, Bellerophon came back to Bronze Star and informed him that his mother had just gotten in and that she was preparing herself in the mayor's office. The young prince went to go see his mother, but he arrived at the mayor's office, there was nopony there. He found this rather perplexing, as did the guard who stood outside the office. This guard had seen Celestia enter the room, but he had not seen her exit. Bronze Star checked in with the guards posted at the other entrances to the mayor's office, and none of them reported seeing her leave.

This was rather strange. Celestia's whereabouts were always monitored by the Royal Guard, yet none of them could account for her current location. However, Bronze Star saw no cause to panic; he simply concluded that his mother must have proceeded to the lobby without her bodyguards. To ascertain this speculation, he made his way to the indoor balcony on the second floor. But halfway there, he heard a prissy voice – it sounded like Rarity's – yell "She's gone!" This was followed by a high-pitched scream.

Suddenly, a dark blue light filled the entire building, but it glowed the brightest in the lobby. Bronze Star faintly heard a deep, booming feminine voice coming from that same room. He galloped as fast as he could in that general direction.

Soon, he reached the balcony. But his mother was not there. Instead, there was a tall black Alicorn with a dark vest, dark blue boots, and a dark blue crown that doubled as a mask. She was gazing down at the crowd of ponies below. She had her back to Bronze Star, but he had a fair idea as to who she was.

The black Alicorn bellowed crossly yet amusingly "Does my crown no longer count now that I have been imprisoned for a thousand years? Did you not recall the legend? Did you not see the signs?"

A voice which Bronze Star recognized as Twilight's responded from the ground below "I did. And I know who you are. You're the Mare in the Moon – Nightmare Moon!"

There was a collective gasping all across the room. Nightmare Moon grinned and stated "Well, well, well; somepony who remembers me. Then you also know why I'm here."

Twilight tentatively replied with "You're here to... to..."

She was unable to finish; like everypony else in the building, she was absolutely speechless. Nightmare Moon just chuckled and announced in a very menacing tone "Remember this day, little ponies, for it was your last. From this moment forth, the night will last forever!"

She broke into a maniacal laugh, which was accompanied by the crashing of thunder and the striking of lightning.

So the rumors were true. Twilight Sparkle had been correct all along. Nightmare Moon had returned, and she was there to reclaim her hold on Equestria. For now, the Sun was gone. So was Princess Celestia. Equestria's beloved leader had disappeared right under the notice of her protectors. But she would not vanish forever. Not as long as her subjects and her son had something to say about it.


	7. A Decisive Strategy

Nightmare Moon continued chortling wickedly as the ponies on the ground below stared at her in horror. Amidst the crowd of frozen ponies, the Mayor boldly stepped forward and shouted "Seize her! Only she knows where the Princess is!"

Three Pegasi Royal Guard ascended into the air and speedily soared towards Nightmare Moon. The corrupt Alicorn turned towards them and yelled menacingly "Stand back, you fools!"

Just before the three Royal Guards reached her, she summoned another round of lightning. She easily repelled the three stallions and sent them plummeting to the ground. She broke into laughter once more, cherishing this victory. She gazed around the room, as if she was daring the rest of the Royal Guard to approach her. She was powerful enough to take all of them on without breaking a sweat. However, while she could see all the Royal Guard in the lobby, she had yet to notice Bronze Star.

The gold stallion stealthily charged towards the black Alicorn and lunged onto her back, catching her totally off-guard. Nightmare Moon ceased her laughter and turned her attention towards him. She tried hard to get away from him or throw him off, but the young prince was resilient.

Bronze Star's military workout programs had covered a variety of ways to overpower, disarm, and subjugate his opponents. This was one situation where this training proved to be an asset. He placed his back hooves on Nightmare Moon's wings to prevent her from flying away and he seized her by the throat to keep her from turning towards him to use magic. Then he attempted to force her into a posture of submission.

As he struggled with Nightmare Moon, Bronze Star demanded heatedly "Where is the Princess? Where is she? Answer me! NOW!"

Despite the vigor and relentlessness of his approach, he got no answer. All the black Alicorn did was gaze at him out of the corner of her eye and bellow in outrage "You DARE to attack me! Release me at once or you will perish in misery!"

Bronze Star was not the least bit intimidated by this threat. He just tightened his grip on Nightmare Moon's throat and shouted furiously "WHERE IS CELESTIA? Tell me or YOU will be the one in misery!"

Less than five seconds later, the glow emanating off of Nightmare Moon's body increased in brightness. It made her appear slightly translucent. As a result, Bronze Star suddenly found his grip on her throat loosening. Once he lost his grip, Nigthmare Moon aggressively jerked her upper body backwards and flung him off her back. And off the balcony as well. Bronze Star sailed halfway across the room and landed painfully in the center of the ground floor.

Despite the ache he felt from the fall, Bronze Star quickly returned his attention to the balcony above. He discovered that Nightmare Moon was no longer standing there. Instead, she was floating. She had transformed into a sparkling cluster of dark blue energy. Before anypony else had time to react, the energy cluster jolted through the air, burst through the front entrance of Town Hall, and departed from the premises.

Rainbow Dash flew after the energy cluster a few seconds later, as if she intended to pursue it. Applejack called out urgently "Rainbow, be careful!" Obviously, she had not been heard by her hotheaded friend.

Even after the energy cluster left, Bronze Star kept his sight on the main entrance. He picked himself up off the ground and grunted in frustration. SIG Sauer, Twilight Sparkle, Noble Edict, and Bellerophon rushed over to him. The palomino stallion queried in concern "Are you alright, sir?"

"I'm fine," Bronze Star answered his mother's chief of staff, "Don't worry about me. We have bigger problems to worry about than my well-being."

There was a short period of silence between the five ponies. They were in what was perhaps the quietest spot of Town Hall. The majority of the other ponies in the lobby were frantic. They were whispering amongst themselves and cowering in terror. There was a ubiquitous atmosphere of discomfort, anxiety, and fear all around the room.

Although he did not show it, Bronze Star was just as afraid and agitated as the other ponies. However, he had to retain his composure and keep his head straight if they were all going to get through this crisis. He let out a troubled sigh and turned to Twilight Sparkle. He told her in absolute sincerity "You were right, Twilight. It was Nightmare Moon all along. We should have listened to you and taken your warnings more seriously. I cannot tell you how sorry I am that we didn't."

"You don't have to apologize, Bro- I mean, Gold," Twilight Sparkle assured him. She wanted to address her friend by his actual name, but since Noble Edict was within earshot of her, she stopped herself in time. "At any rate, that doesn't matter now. All that does matter is that we spend our time finding a way to put a swift end to this catastrophe."

"She's right," Noble Edict concurred, "We have to do something, and we have to do it right now. Every second we just stand idly by, this situation will only get worse."

"Let's just hold on a minute," SIG Sauer interceded, "This is not a time for rashness. We cannot simply say we're going to accomplish something and try to do it without a well thought-out method of approach. What we really need to do is formulate a plan. Before we leave this room, we should decide how we're going to handle this situation."

The pine green stallion then turned to the gold stallion, as did the lavender mare and the palomino stallion. When Bronze Star noticed that all the focus was on him, he asked in perplexity "What?"

"Sir, Princess Celestia is missing," Bellerophon pointed out, "That means that until she is found, you're the one who issues the commands. Therefore, it would be most appropriate if you were the one who decided how we should proceed."

Bronze Star realized that Bellerophon was in fact correct. Even in his current guise as the ambassador to Ponyville, he still had authority that superseded that of anypony else in town. On the downside, the only people there who knew his real identity were Twilight, Bellerophon, SIG Sauer, Spike, and a few members of the Royal Guard. On the upside, these individuals were some of the few he felt could be fully trusted at present.

He looked around at the four ponies in front of him and announced to them "Right now, we're in more danger than we've ever been in. There's no point in denying that. All the same, we have an obligation to protect this country and uphold the law. Worst case scenario, it may be up to the five of us to avert a nationwide disaster."

The others all nodded their heads in agreement. SIG Sauer inquired "What must we do, sir?"

"The way I see it, we have three objectives: defeat Nightmare Moon, rescue Princess Celestia, and preserve the tranquility of the public," Bronze Star perceived, "Those aren't listed in order of precedence; each one of those goals is as important as the other two."

"How should we handle them?" asked Twilight.

"Let's start with preserving the tranquility of the public; at least that one is directly within our grasp," Bronze Star decided. He gazed around the room at the frightened groups of ponies. Then he turned to the two security overseers and told them "SIG, Noble, I'll be relying heavily on your ability to maintain order and peace. I need you to get this crowd under control. Do whatever you can to calm these ponies down. We cannot afford to create a mass panic; that will only make this much worse."

"You can count on us, sir," Noble Edict ensured him, "Should we contact Canterlot for reinforcements?"

"We could try calling for help, but I am almost certain we wouldn't get any," Bronze Star responded, "The Royal Guard in Canterlot must have noticed that the sunrise has not yet occurred. They know that the only reason why the Sun would be overdue is if Celestia was missing, or if there's an imminent threat to the whole country. By now, they've probably mobilized the Constabulary Contingent. If so, they've got the capital city locked down tight. We're on our own."

"Very well," SIG Sauer commented, "I suppose we can manage with the units we already have. Besides, we all saw how easily Nightmare Moon fought off those three guards. The best we can hope to achieve with our current units is keep the inhabitants of this town safe."

"I'll leave that goal in your capable hooves," Bronze Star informed the red mare and the pine green stallion, "If Nightmare Moon comes back, do not engage her. Just do what you can to keep her away from the civilians."

"Aye, sir," Noble and SIG stated in unison, saluting him.

There was a brief interval of silence, and then Bronze Star went on: "As for our other objectives, they go hoof-in-hoof. Overthrowing Nightmare Moon is the key to locating the Princess and bringing back the Sun. Obviously, a direct physical confrontation with her would be foolish and ineffective, if what just took place between me and her on the balcony is any indication. We're going to need a more practical tactic to defeat her."

Bellerophon turned to the lavender Unicorn and stated "Twilight, you're the one who forecasted this fiasco. You've done more research on Nightmare Moon than the rest of us. What can be done to stop her?"

"I still believe what I thought before," the young mare proclaimed, "Our only hope is to find the Elements of Harmony."

"Twilight, those relics have been lost for centuries," Bellerophon pointed out, "Do you honestly expect to find them within the course of a few hours?"

"Right now, we don't have a choice," Twilight adamantly debated, "Trust me, Bellerophon; I'm not just desperately reaching out for a solution. Gold and I have already found some decisive evidence that suggest the Elements of Harmony can be recovered. Our most promising resource is the library in this town; it has a very broad range of literature. I haven't even looked through the history section just yet. There's bound to be something in those selves that can at least give us a clue about where to find them."

"If you're so certain of this, then I trust your judgment, Twilight," Bronze Star remarked. He turned to the palomino Pegasus and ordered him "Bellerophon, I want you to help Twilight with her research."

"Forgive me if I speak out-of-turn, sir, but do you really believe I would be most useful there?" Bellerophon asked rhetorically.

"Yes, I do," Bronze Star replied, "You've got more background knowledge on Equestrian history than anypony else I know. If there's somepony who could trace the Elements all the way to their current location, it would have to be you."

Bellerophon had to admit that the young prince had a point. He nodded his head and declared "As you wish, sir. It shall be done."

Bronze Star nodded his head in approval. Next he said to both Bellerophon and Twilight "Once you've acquired a promising lead, meet me at the embassy. I'll be there getting ready."

"Ready for what?"

"For whatever happens next," was all the gold stallion said in response. Despite the bluntness of his answer, the others did not press him for specifics.

"It would probably be best if nopony goes anywhere alone," Noble Edict advised, "Mr. Sauer and I will be staying here, and Miss Sparkle and Bellerophon are headed to the library. Mr. Streak, I'm going to assign somepony on my security detail to accompany you."

"As long as whoever you pick is trustworthy, that's acceptable," stated Bronze Star.

Noble Edict summoned one of her agents over to the group and apprised him "The ambassador needs to return the embassy. I want you to escort him there for his protection."

"It will be done, ma'am," the stallion assured her.

"We'll be leaving in just a moment," Bronze Star informed the guard. He looked around the area at his four colleagues, and then he stated "You all have your directives. Accomplish them swiftly and proficiently. Haste is of the utmost importance, as are results. Now let's move out!"

The group broke off into pairs. Bronze Star and the security officer galloped out of Town Hall first. They headed down the most direct route to the embassy. A couple meters away, Spike had fainted. Twilight Sparkle used her magic to pick him up and place him on her back. After this, she and Bellerophon left the building and made their way to the library. Their departure was noticed by Rainbow Dash, who was still hovering in the air outside.

Inside the lobby of Town Hall, there was a stage connected to the wall opposite the main entrance. SIG Sauer and Noble Edict had climbed onto this stage so that they were standing above everypony else. It had been almost ten minutes since Nightmare Moon had exited Town Hall, but the tension in the room had not subsided even marginally. SIG Sauer bellowed loudly "Mares and gentlestallions! Mares and gentlestallions, may I have your attention please?"

The overall volume of the noise gradually decreased over the next two minutes. Soon, there was not even a soft murmur to be heard. Everypony in the room – civilians and guards alike – had turned to SIG Sauer and given him their undivided attention.

"Thank you," SIG Sauer remarked gratefully.

"Who are you?" demanded a random bystander.

"My name is SIG Sauer," the pine green stallion disclosed. He removed his badge from his knapsack and held it up for everypony to see, saying "I am a government officer who works for the Canterlot Royalty. I know that what just happened was traumatizing for you to witness, but I'm here to ensure your safety."

"Are you Royal Guard?" inquired another bystander.

"Former," he responded, "However, the Royal Guard answer to me. That's why as of right now, their only goal is to protect all of you and see that you all make it through this crisis."

"What about the Princess?" a third bystander asked restlessly.

"My people are already on that," responded SIG Sauer, "We have some of our best operatives searching for her. They will not rest until she is found. In the meantime, my task is to guarantee that no harm comes to any of you."

"Well, how do we know we can trust you?" another bystander challenged.

At this, Noble Edict stepped in and spoke for the pine green Unicorn: "This stallion has been with me for the past eighteen hours tightening this town's security measures. I can vouch for him."

There was a short interval of quietness, and then another person stated "That's good enough for me. If Noble trusts him, I suppose I can, too."

All over the room, there were mutters of agreement. SIG Sauer let it go on for a few seconds, and then he gestured for silence. When the room was quiet again, he announced to the crowd "I would ask that you please remain calm and proceed in an orderly fashion to your houses. You'll be safest in the comfort of your own homes. Once you're there, take measures to ensure that nothing can force its way in. Lock the doors, bar the windows, barricade every single orifice that could be used as a point of intrusion. Stay inside until the Royal Guard give the all-clear."

As the ponies in the room began to comply with SIG Sauer's orders, Noble Edict jumped off the stage to properly direct them. She called out "You heard him, people! Gather with your families. Stay together at all times. There's no telling how long this crisis will last. If you do not have a dwelling that is outfitted for long-term survival, move in with a friend who does. My security team will periodically check in on you and ascertain the durability of your shelter."

In the time since SIG Sauer had spoken out, only four more ponies had left Town Hall. These four were Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, and Rarity. They spotted Rainbow Dash hovering over their heads. Applejack called out to her friend "Hey, Rainbow, did ya see where Nightmare Moon went?"

The cyan Pegasus landed next to the orange Earth Pony and answered her with "No, she disappeared from my sight before I had a chance to follow her. Then Twilight Sparkle left with that large Pegasus. They appeared to be running towards the library."

"Did anypony else leave before them?" asked Fluttershy in interest.

"I think I saw the ambassador run out a few seconds earlier," "But I don't see where he went."

"I think they're hiding something from us," Pinkie Pie pronounced, "I mean, did you see what happened to the ambassador? He just liked jumped right onto that Nightmare Moon's back and sized her up. That was totally unbelievable! Not to mention exciting. And after he was thrown off and fell to the ground, he didn't seem to be hurt. He must be really tough."

"I do concur with that notion at least," Rarity thought aloud, "Our new ambassador is definitely more than a typical bureaucrat."

"Well, he was strong and brave enough to face on Nightmare Moon," Applejack recalled, "Maybe we should speak to him. He may have a better idea of what's goin' on than the rest of us."

"No, I say we track down Twilight Sparkle, first," Rainbow Dash proposed, "She was the only one who recognized Nightmare Moon on sight. There's also something about her that I find suspicious."

Applejack rolled her eyes and commented "Rainbow, just because somepony can explain this here phenomenon, that doesn't make her an accessory or nothin' to it."

"Well, we'll find out," Rainbow Dash proclaimed. Before the others had a chance to respond, she shot up into the air and flew off towards the library. Her friends follow her closed behind. Or at least as close as they could manage on their hooves.

…

When Bronze Star reached the embassy, he asked his security attendant to wait outside the main entrance and remain there until he came back out. The guard complied with his request and kept watch near the front gate.

Bronze Star entered the embassy and went upstairs to his room. Once there, he removed his knapsack and hanged it by its strap on the wall. Then he picked up his suitcase and set it down on the bed. He opened it and dug through its contents until he found his training uniform. Like the one he wore that morning, this set of clothing was entirely black. Bronze Star proceeded to get dressed. He slipped on the pants, the vest, the jacket, and the boots. He decided to leave the mask off for now. After he was dressed, he put on a saddle bag which was full of combat gear. Then he picked up a belt of assorted tools and weapons and fastened it around his waist.

When he was finished, he gazed at himself in a full-length mirror on the wall. He definitely looked as though he was ready for action. He just hoped he actually was and that his eyes were not deceiving him. He had been training with SIG Sauer for ten years, and this was the first time he would be using his skills in the field without some prior notice. He would also be going out there without his wings or horn.

Fortunately, some of his exercises had been specifically designed to exclude the use of magic and flying. SIG Sauer had proposed them so that if his wings or horn were somehow damaged and rendered temporarily inactive, he would have a suitable alternative means of fighting his opponents and successfully bringing them down. Although SIG had not foreseen the possibility that Bronze Star's horn and wings would be gone altogether, his teachings would prove to be invaluable in the coming hours.

Bronze Star sighed and uttered under his breath "I'd better get out there."

"Out where, sir?" came a voice from behind.

Bronze Star looked over his shoulder and saw Bellerophon standing in the doorframe. Despite his stern frame of mind, the gold stallion smirked and commented "You're here already, Bellerophon? It hasn't been twenty minutes since we split up at Town Hall."

"I would have been here even sooner, but I was detained by the security guard," the palomino stallion revealed, "Since Noble Edict gave orders for everypony to stay in groups of two or more, he was suspicious because I arrived here by myself."

Bronze Star raised an eyebrow and presumed "Twilight didn't come with you?"

"No, she didn't," Bellerophon replied, "However, you'll be pleased to know that we have a lead on the Elements of Harmony."

Bronze Star clapped his front hooves together and stated in satisfaction "That's great. Where are they?"

"While it's too early to say for certain, we're confident they're hidden somewhere in an old abandoned fortress," Bellerophon enlightened him, "Before your mother had Canterlot Castle built, she resided in another citadel in the Everfree Forest. This was before the Forest became an overgrown wasteland, mind you. Fortunately, this particular edifice is only about ten miles outside of Ponyville. Twilight's going out to locate and search this fortress as we speak."

"What?" Bronze Star observed in surprise, "She went out by herself? Without backup?"

"No, as far as I know, she is not working alone, Your Highness," Bellerophon informed him, "Did you by any chance remember having a conversation with five young mares yesterday? Specifically, a farmer, a weather maker, a wildlife preserver, a designer, and an entertainer?"

"Actually, yes," Bronze Star affirmed, "Other than Noble Edict and some of the City Council, they were the first ponies I met in this town. Why do you ask?"

"Those same five mares showed up at the library while Twilight and I were doing some research," the chief of staff explained, "Twilight and I decided to let them in on what we were doing. The pink one managed to spot a book that focused exclusively on the Elements of Harmony. A book which both of us had overlooked. From it, we came to learn about the significance of the aforementioned fortress."

"Alright, so I take it those mares went with Twilight?" Bronze Star assumed.

"Well, she did ask for their help in finding the most direct path leading into the forest," Bellerophon started out tentatively, "However, she and I had a moment to speak in private before I left. She told me she has no intention of putting those other mares in danger. It would not surprise me if she asks them to turn around and come back to town once they bring her to the border of the forest."

"That's unacceptable," Bronze Star decreed, "My mother is missing, the sun's rays have been extinguished, and we're up against a legendary supernatural entity. The only things that can undo all that are some lost relics. With so much at stake, it would be senseless for Twilight to put all the responsibility on herself. She'll need all the help she can get."

The young prince picked up his mask off the bed and approached the door. As he left the room and trotted towards the staircase, Bellerophon enquired "Where are you going, sir?"

"To the border of the Everfree Forest," Bronze Star replied, "If Twilight's heading in there, I'm going with her."

"What?" Bellerophon remarked in astonishment. He caught up with the younger stallion and told him "Your Highness, I must protest. You of all ponies cannot afford to put yourself in harm's way."

"Oh?" Bronze Star commented sardonically, "Why is that?"

"Like you said, your mother is missing," Bellerophon expounded, "Legally, that makes you the ruler of Equestria by default. At least until Celestia is returned to us."

"What about my cousin?" Bronze Star suggested, "Couldn't she fill that role?"

"Cadence is an excellent diplomat and a munificent aide, but she isn't officially a recognized leader," Bellerophon pointed out, "But you are. Equestria needs a leader, and as of right now, you are the only one who can occupy that position. In fact, if you weren't undercover, the Royal Guard would have already moved you to a secure location."

"Well, unfortunately for them, they don't know my location," Bronze Star cheekily stated, "I'll make sure it stays that way for now. You know why? Because there is no way in Tartarus that I'm going to voluntarily sit in some quiet private room flanked by dozens of bodyguards while one of my friends is out there risking her life to save this country. Why do you think I'm dressed like this, anyway?"

Bellerophon had noticed that the gold stallion was clad in black, but up until now, he had not given any real thought as to why. "So, this is how you were 'getting ready?'"

"Correct," Bronze Star confirmed, "This was part of my plan. After I donned appropriate apparel for entering a combat situation, I would wait here until you and Twilight acquired a viable lead about the Elements of Harmony. Once you found one, I would help investigate that lead. I still fully intend to carry out that arrangement. Now that you guys have something, I can be of use."

"Sir, while I admire your willingness to contribute, in my opinion, you'd be of more 'use' if you stay here and take charge," Bellerophon disclosed, "You said it yourself; maintaining peace and order is just as imperative as eliminating Nightmare Moon and rescuing your mother."

"I've already given SIG Sauer and Noble Edict that task," Bronze Star reminded the older stallion, "The two of them are more qualified to handle it than I; they have more experience in dealing with these types of threats. I'm quite confident they can manage; they've got Ponyville's entire security force and dozens of the Royal Guard to assist them. At best, Twilight only has Spike and five of the local residents assisting her."

"She didn't bring Spike along," Bellerophon apprised him, "He passed out shortly before we left and Twilight thought it best to put him in bed."

"Okay, then she only has five mares to assist her," Bronze Star noted, "Five mares whose help she may be unwilling to accept, at that. All the more reason why I should join her. Look, Bellerophon; I know that you are concerned about the state of Equestria. I am as well; that is precisely the reason why I want to help Twilight go after the Elements. If we don't retrieve them, we may never see the Sun or my mother again. Believe me, I value your input and I totally respect your views, but this is **my** decision."

There was a long period of awkward silence between the two stallions. Ultimately, Bellerophon expelled a deep sigh and declared "Very well, sir. If you're that committed to this plan of yours, I will not stop you. But under one condition; I'm accompanying you on this mission."

Bronze Star opened his mouth to protest, but he was quickly interrupted by the palomino Pegasus: "Sir, I would prefer it if we stopped the argument right here. Every moment we linger here, Nightmare Moon gets stronger. This circumstance is non-negotiable. I swore to serve and protect your mother and the integrity of the office of the Canterlot Royalty. Therefore, I swore to serve and protect you as well. I'm going with you whether you like it or not."

Bronze Star did not want to drag his mentor into this matter. However, from his experience, he knew that Bellerophon could be just as persistent as him, if not more so. Aside from that, if he turned down the older stallion's offer, he would be contradicting his own point about how Twilight would need all the help she could get to locate the Elements of Harmony. He gazed up at Bellerophon and declared "Alright, you're in. Now let's find Twilight before she enters the forest."

The two stallions proceeded downstairs and exited through the main entrance. The security guard was still there. Bronze Star told him "I want you to return to Noble Edict. Tell her and SIG Sauer that I am with Bellerophon, and that we're going after 'Nightmare Moon's bane.' Use those exact words."

"Yes, sir," the security guard complied. As he left through the front gate, he called out to the gold stallion and the palomino stallion "Good luck out there."

Bronze Star nodded his head in acknowledgement, but when the guard was out of earshot, he muttered solemnly "We'll need a lot more than luck if we're going to get through this night."

Ten minutes later, the two stallions arrived at the edge of town. Conveniently, Twilight Sparkle was already there, as were Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity. The six mares were in the center of the path which led directly into the Everfree Forest.

Pinkie Pie giddily squealed "Whee! Let's go!"

"Not so fast," Twilight stopped her, "Look, I appreciate the offer, but I'd really rather do this on my own."

At that, Applejack interceded and countered with "No can do, sugarcube. We sure ain't lettin' any friend of ours go into that creepy place alone. We're stickin' to you like caramel on a candy apple."

She trotted into the Forest first. Rainbow, Fluttershy, and Rarity followed close behind and muttered "Umm-hmph" in agreement.

Pinkie then added in "_Especially_ if there's candy apples in there."

Twilight gave her a strange look, to which she only replied with "What? Those things are _good_."

Then she happily pranced into the woods.

Twilight gave an annoyed sigh and was about to enter the Forest as well, when Bronze Star called out "Room for two more? Or is it mares-only?"

Twilight Sparkle and the other ponies had not even noticed him and Bellerophon approach. However, she appeared to be glad to see the two of them. She admitted "I would be a fool to turn down such an offer from **you**. But we should get moving before we lose the others."

"Bellerophon told me you were **hoping** to lose them," Bronze Star remarked.

"Maybe, but if I wanted to, I would have done it out here, not in there," Twilight Sparkle apprised him, gesturing towards the forest.

"Well, looks like we're stuck with them," Bellerophon wittily observed, "Don't be so quick to label them as burdens, Twilight. Give these mares time, and I'm certain that each one of them will prove her worth."

"I'm sure they will," Twilight concurred, "Still, that doesn't stop me from worrying about what might happen in there."

"At any rate, we've got a country to save," Bronze Star reminded her, "A word of advice: use your anxiety to fuel your motivation. That's what I always do."

Twilight Sparkle took this helpful tip into account. Then she proceeded down the path alongside Bronze Star and Bellerophon. Soon they caught up with the other five mares, and together, the eight of them ventured further into the unknown depths of the Everfree Forest. What awaited them, they did not know. But whatever did happen in there would change their lives forever.


	8. A Solution For Everything

**Note: I would like to thank everybody who's reviewed this story so far, particularly B1ackBird, Earnest Ernesto, S.H.I.E.L.D.E.D U.P, and the anonymous MLP Lover Foreva. I planned to have a little more content in this chapter, but I was concerned about making it overlong. However, I'm in the midst of working on the rest of what was going to be in this chapter. I should have it up either tomorrow or Friday. It'll be before I go to Paris, at any rate.**

SIG Sauer and Noble Edict had made substantial progress in securing Ponyville. The mayor and City Council were moved to a bunker located beneath Town Hall. All the civilians had been evacuated from the building and moved to their houses. There were some residents and tourists who were staying on the outskirts of the town, such as the Apple family. The Royal Guard escorted these individuals to their dwellings and aided them in fortifying their shelters. Then they took posts all along the perimeter of the town.

While the Royal Guard had been tasked with keeping the inhabitants of Ponyville safe, Noble Edict's staff was responsible for locking the town down. They had instructions not to let anypony enter or leave the town without being searched and cleared first. At the center of it all, SIG Sauer was the one regulating the actions of the security forces. Currently, he was in the town square speaking with an officer who supervised all passage to and from the district. He asked her "Has the train depot been closed off?"

"Yes, sir," the officer informed him, "As per your orders, we also sent out a priority-one telegram to all the other stations across the country. We've alerted them to a nationwide shutdown of the railroads. It will remain in effect until the Sun rises."

"Very good," commented the pine green stallion, "Now that you've handled that, I'd like you to conduct an inspection of the town's perimeter. Look for any gaps in the Royal Guard's blockade. If anypony new happens to arrive, redirect them to the custom house. The ponies there should be able to accommodate them once they've been examined."

The officer acknowledged this command and departed from the area. SIG Sauer was left by himself for a couple minutes, but technically, he was not alone. At any one moment, at least half a dozen of the Royal Guard and Ponyville's security officers could be found on every street. Many of them were balancing several errands at once, so very few of them could afford to remain stationary.

Noble Edict had gone back to Town Hall to acquire a certain list from the assessor's office. This list was a record of the town's population; it contained the names of everypony who either lived in Ponyville or planned to stay there during the Celebration. Noble Edict had proposed using this list to make certain that nopony other than Princess Celestia was missing.

Amidst all the activity in the town square, SIG Sauer spotted Noble Edict approaching him from the direction of Town Hall. She was carrying a very large rolled-up scroll on her shoulder. When she reached him, SIG Sauer asked "Is that the entire roster?"

She nodded her head and stated "I apologize that it took so long. It's against regulation to remove the original version of the populace manifest from Town Hall; only duplicates can be taken out. The assessor wasn't in his office; he and his family were moved to their house. So I had to make a copy of the list myself."

"Well, I appreciate the effort," SIG Sauer informed her, "What's really important is that we have the list. Now we can use it to ascertain that everypony is accounted for."

"How would you like to proceed, sir?" inquired the red mare.

"There are many ways we can do this," SIG Sauer noted, "However, the simplest would be to divide the list up into different sections and then distribute those sections to the units who are stationed in the corresponding districts. That way we can take attendance everywhere at once."

"I'll get my people right on that," Noble Edict approved, "By the way, SIG, there's something I need to talk to you about."

"What is it, Noble?" he asked in interest.

"As you may recall, I assigned an agent to go with Gold Streak to the embassy," Noble Edict apprised him, "I encountered that agent at Town Hall a couple hours ago when I first began copying the list. He told me that the ambassador is with Bellerophon, and that the two of them have gone after 'Nightmare Moon's bane.'"

When she saw the look of mild confusion on SIG Sauer's face, Noble quickly added in "The ambassador instructed him to use that phrase. But he has no idea what it means. Neither do I."

"They must be going after the Elements of Harmony," SIG Sauer hypothesized, "If so, that's probably a good thing. They would not have chosen to go looking for the Elements unless they actually had a reliable lead on their whereabouts. Now that they're out searching for them, they must be reasonably confident that they have the correct location."

"Let's hope they're right," Noble Edict pronounced, "For everypony's sake, especially theirs. The agent mentioned that as he left the embassy, the two stallions were heading towards the Everfree Forest."

"They're going to the Everfree Forest by themselves?" SIG Sauer assumed in surprise.

"Not according to the agent's testimony," Noble Edict replied, "Bellerophon told him that Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie had been at the library when he and Twilight Sparkle were there. Nopony's seen those six mares since they left Town Hall, so it's highly likely that they went with him and Gold Streak."

"Well, a company of eight is much better than a company of two," SIG Sauer professed, "Still, it may have been imprudent for them to go into the Everfree Forest without backup. What's worse, they didn't reveal where they were going. If we knew that, we could have at least sent them some assistance."

"I'm not too sure about that," Noble Edict theorized, "Even if we did know where the ambassador and the others went, I'm not certain we'd be able to help them. Our forces are spread thin enough as they are here. We cannot spare anypony."

"I suppose that's true," SIG Sauer admitted, "Oh, well. Gold Streak and Bellerophon know how to deal with danger, Twilight's very good with magic, and most of the other mares seemed capable of defending themselves. As long as they're careful, they should be alright."

"I'm inclined to agree," Noble Edict thought aloud.

The red mare was about to leave the area to gather her staff and divvy up the populace manifest. Right before she could move, a voice called out from down the block "Noble! Noble! Miss Edict!"

Noble Edict and SIG Sauer turned towards the source and saw a young stallion running towards them. When he was about ten feet away, Noble enquired "What is it? Is everything alright?"

"No, I do not believe so," the stallion replied. He was about to explain what he meant by this statement, but he gave SIG Sauer a suspicious look, as if he had just noticed the pine green Unicorn was there. He asked inquisitively "Who might I ask are you?"

"This is SIG Sauer," Noble Edict answered for her colleague, "He works for the Canterlot Royalty. SIG, this is Dense Miasma. He's one of the three volunteers I assigned to watch over that ball of energy I encountered the other day."

SIG Sauer gave a nod of confirmation towards the younger stallion. Dense Miasma returned the gesture, albeit somewhat hesitantly. Then he disclosed "That's why I'm here. The energy sphere; it's… changed."

"What do you mean 'changed?'" asked Noble Edict in perplexity.

"A short time ago, it grew in size by about twenty-five percent," Dense Miasma explicated, "An inscription appeared near the base of it, too. We couldn't make any sense of it, so we thought it best to bring this directly to you."

"Alright, thank you for coming to me with this," Noble Edict said graciously. After a brief pause, she remarked "Since you came alone, I presume that Petal Picker and Soapstone are still with the sphere?"

"Yeah, we didn't want to leave the sphere unattended, in case it continued to change," Dense Miasma claimed, "So we decided that only one of us would leave. We agreed on me because I'm the fastest runner. However, Petal Picker and Soapstone are expecting me to return soon. We shouldn't keep them waiting for too long. I would appreciate it if you came back with me."

"That's not possible right now," Noble Edict notified the young stallion, "An emergency situation has just come up. Princess Celestia and the Sun are missing, and the individual responsible for their disappearance is at large and extremely dangerous. Because of that, I need to stay here and keep Ponyville safe."

"So you can't afford to send anypony at all?" Dense Miasma assumed.

"No, I'm afraid not," she confirmed apologetically.

Truthfully, Noble was somewhat interested in this subject, but she did not consider it to be of high-value. On the other hoof, SIG Sauer found one particular detail of it intriguing. He stepped up to Dense Miasma and queried "When exactly did this happen?"

"At approximately six o'clock," the younger stallion recounted, "Say, wasn't that the same time the Sun was supposed to rise?"

"Yes, it was," SIG Sauer informed him, "That was also the time that Nightmare Moon showed up."

"Nightmare Moon?" Dense Miasma remarked, "A mythical creature is behind all this?"

"That's correct," stated the pine green Unicorn, "She showed up in Town Hall and threatened to permanently blot out the Sun. We tried to apprehend her, but she transformed into a cluster of dark blue energy and bolted out of the neighborhood."

"Really?" Dense Miasma stated in fascination. SIG Sauer nodded his head, and then Dense proclaimed "Not ten minutes after the energy sphere grew in size, another cloud of energy zipped by over our heads. It appeared to be composed of the same type of energy you just described."

"It must have been Nightmare Moon," SIG Sauer concluded. He turned to the red mare and proposed "Noble, I think we should investigate this."

"Sir, with all due respect, that's out of the question," Noble Edict objected, "Our security forces have enough on their hooves already. All the Royal Guard and everypony on my detail are much too busy. We cannot afford to lose even one of them."

"Very well," SIG Sauer coincided, "Then I'll go."

"What?" Noble almost shouted.

SIG held up his hoof to stop her and told her "Before you protest, I suggest that you view this scenario in perspective. You and I have the same job: to maintain order and peace. We can only effectively accomplish that for so long by staying here. We both know that Nightmare Moon has no interest in one lone town. She's been waiting for an entire millennium to return to Equestria; she must have developed other plans. It's our duty to stop her from carrying out those plans. In order to do that, we must delve further into the heart of all this. We can start by investigating the energy sphere. It cannot be a coincidence that Nightmare Moon passed over it ten minutes after it expanded in size."

As resistant as Noble Edict was to SIG Sauer's idea, she could not deny that he was on to something. While staying in Ponyville and keeping the residents safe would prevent a panic from arising, it would do very little to bring back either the Sun or Celestia. Aside from that, SIG Sauer had authority over her. If he decided to leave the town, the most she could do to stop him was protest. She could not order him to stay. Plus, she knew this town much better than he did. It occurred to Noble that Ponyville only really needed one person to oversee the safety of the public. Between the two of them, she was better qualified.

"Alright, sir," Noble Edict complied, "If you believe this energy cloud is worth investigating, go right ahead. But please, do not be gone for too long. Just give the sphere a quick inspection and come right back here."

"Understood," SIG Sauer affirmed.

"We'll do our best to be back here within an hour," Dense Miasma proclaimed.

Noble Edict took this statement into account. Then she watched as the two stallions left the area and headed towards the Everfree Forest. Once they vanished from her sight, Noble removed the scroll from her shoulder and went to disperse its contents amongst her staff.

…

At this point in time, it had been three hours since Bronze Star, Bellerophon, and their six female companions had gone searching for the Elements of Harmony. They had already ventured several miles into the Everfree Forest. On the upside, the old abandoned fortress was now within their line of sight. On the downside, making it this far had been anything but easy. The group had encountered many obstacles and dangers along the way.

When they first entered the Everfree Forest, the ponies had discussed everything they had already learned with each other that was relevant to their situation. Bronze Star discovered that there were six Elements of Harmony: honesty, kindness, laughter, generosity, loyalty, and an unknown sixth one. In turn, he and Twilight Sparkle illuminated the others on the Shroud of Valor and how it had been used to protect the previous wielder of the Elements. There were also some additional facts that only Bellerophon knew, thanks to his extensive knowledge of Equestria's history. He was more than willing to share these bits of information with the others.

Shortly after they finished going over what they knew, the group continued marching on in silence for a while. At one point, Bronze Star abruptly doubled over and groaned in mild discomfort. The others quickly came to his sides to make certain he was not hurt.

"Are you alright, sir?" the palomino stallion asked anxiously.

"Yeah, I'm quite well, Bellerophon," Bronze Star responded, wincing slightly and clutching the area between his left front and hind legs. After a moment, he stood up straight and divulged "My side is just a little sore. I landed on it pretty hard when Nightmare Moon tossed me off that balcony."

"Wow, just a 'little' sore?" Rainbow Dash uttered in amazement, "That's really something. I don't know anypony who can withstand that kind of pain. Except for me. And maybe Applejack."

"I suppose I should take that as a compliment, Rainbow," Applejack drily remarked. The cyan mare glared at her incredulously, as if to say "Seriously?" The orange mare then chuckled and commented "I'd hate to sound arrogant, but I suppose I can't deny that."

Fluttershy was standing next to Bronze Star when he had tripped. Since his back was turned to her, she could see the gaps in his uniform. She patted him on the shoulder and said "Ummm, excuse me, Gold, but are you aware that you have two large holes in the back of your jacket?"

Bronze Star realized she was referring to the openings for his wings. He had not been prepared for this question, but he was great at improvising. He turned to the yellow mare and casually informed her "Oh, yeah, I am aware. They're not just in my jacket; they're in my vest, too. Those have been there for a while. Happened when I was out exercising one morning. I've been meaning to have them repaired, but haven't gotten around to it yet."

"If you want, darling, I could sew those holes up for you whenever we get back to Ponyville," Rarity offered.

"I'd really appreciate that, as long as it's not any trouble," Bronze Star told her.

The grey mare just smiled knowingly.

"But before we get back to Ponyville, we've got a country to save!" Pinkie Pie joyfully declared. She bounced further down the path and called over her shoulder "Come on, girls! And Gold and Bellerophon! Let's keep moving!"

The other ponies could not help but adore the pink mare's optimism. They followed her down the path in a straight line. Before long, Twilight Sparkle and Bronze Star were leading the group. When that happened, the lavender mare leaned over to the gold stallion and whispered into his ear "Nice save back there. I don't think they suspect a thing… 'Ambassador Streak.'"

The young prince smirked, nodded in agreement, and suggested "We should keep it that way."

Of course, a lingering bruise and the risk of the five Ponyville mares discovering Bronze Star's true identity were by far the least of the group's problems. Before long, they would encounter half a dozen perils and hindrances.

After traveling for a couple miles, Bronze Star gazed off into the distance and announced "I think we're nearing the edge of a cliff."

Bellerophon rose into the air to get a better view of the group's surroundings. He returned to the ground thirty seconds later and stated "You're right. The path ends about a hundred feet up ahead. We'll have to find a way down the mountain."

"That might be hard," Pinkie Pie remarked "Because we've got no idea where we're going."

"What are you talking about?" Bronze Star inquired as the group continued moving.

"Well, this is the first time we've set hoof in the Forest," Fluttershy revealed.

"So, none of you have been in here before?" Twilight Sparkle presumed.

"Ugh, Heavens no!" Rarity retorted, "Just look at it. It's dreadful!"

"And it ain't natural." Applejack supplemented, "Folk say it don't work the same as Equestria."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Twilight Sparkle inquired in worry.

By this point, the group had reached the end of the path. They stopped for a moment to gaze over the cliff and search for an alternative route to the ground below. While they stood there, Bronze Star could have sworn he saw a cloud of mist sink into the grass

Rainbow Dash then emerged from the shadows and said ominously "Nopony knows. You know why?"

She was trying to play a practical joke on the others. Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, and Rarity appeared to be scared, but the others were unamused.

"Rainbow, quit it," Applejack stated in annoyance.

This did not stop the Pegasus. She slowly approached the three frightened mares and said in a dramatic tone "'Cause every pony who's ever come in… has never… come… _OUT_!"

Immediately after she said this, the ground had collapsed underneath them. Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and Bellerophon quickly rose into the air, but Twilight Sparkle, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, and Bronze Star slid down the mountain in the rockslide.

The three winged ponies quickly rushed to save their companions. Rainbow Dash picked up Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy pulled Rarity to a halt. Bronze Star managed to recover on his own and jumped into the air. Bellerophon flew by and grabbed the young prince's extended front hooves.

Applejack wrapped her teeth around a sturdy branch to stop her fall. Twilight was the only one who slid all the way to the border of the mountain. When the farm pony saw this, she released her grip on the branch and went to Twilight's aid.

Twilight held on for dear life and begged Applejack to tell her what to do. The Earth Pony convinced her that the only way they would both survive would be if the Unicorn let go. Twilight was hesitant at first, but she complied with Applejack's suggestion.

She fell a considerable distance, but then Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy swooped in and intercepted her long before she reached the ground. She sighed in relief. Fluttershy's grip almost slipped for a moment, but she managed to hold on tight enough.

"Sorry, girls," Fluttershy said sincerely to Rainbow and Twilight, "I'm not used to holding anything more than a bunny or two."

Bellerophon flew under the three mares, held out his front legs, and told the two winged mares "Here, let her go. I've got her."

Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy released Twilight, and the large palomino stallion caught her. Due to his size and strength, he was easily able to carry the young mare by himself.

Pinkie Pie, Rarity, and Bronze Star were already at the base at the mountain. Applejack used a series of small platforms to jump down to their level. Bellerophon transferred Twilight to the ground and landed next to the group, as did Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy. Now all eight ponies were back together.

On the plus side, they were still on the proper course to the abandoned fortress. However, the avalanche was just the first of the six unforeseen complications. The next one was a touch more hazardous; a wild manticore appeared. He was standing directly between them and the rest of the path. They had no choice but to get past him.

They employed several different tactics to achieve this goal. Rarity tried striking him down, Applejack tried subduing him, and Rainbow Dash tried disorienting him. None of these approaches worked. Bronze Star had a net in his supply pack. He proposed luring the beast into it so they could entrap him.

Bellerophon distracted the manticore while Pinkie and Twilight helped Bronze Star set up the net between two trees. Once it was in place, Bellerophon directed the creature towards the large mesh. The manticore was not very intelligent; he ran right into the net. However, the net was not strong enough to hold him. He managed cut through it as if it was made of threads.

The group then thought of overwhelming the manticore by closing in on him all at once. However, Fluttershy stopped them before they could surround the beast. Then, something interesting happened. The animal lover calmly approached the manticore, spoke softly to him, and removed a huge thorn from his paw. In response, the manticore picked up the much smaller Fluttershy and licked her mane affectionately. He stopped being hostile altogether and let the ponies pass. Shortly after, the thorn disappeared. The only remnant of it was the cloud of dark blue energy.

The group's third impediment was perhaps the most bizarre one. Even more bizarre was the way they resolved it. After travelling another mile, they entered a tightly-packed cluster of trees. They were so close together that not even the moonlight could get through. As such, the group had to walk in total darkness for a while. Bronze Star removed a torch from his supply pack, but when he lit it, he found that its range was somehow restricted to one feet in any direction. So he extinguished the flame and put the torch away to save it for later.

When the ponies were partway through the woods, a dark blue light glided by their hooves. Once it faded away, the nearby trees appeared to come to life. They glared at the ponies with countenances of malice and rage, and they looked as though they were about to attack.

Fluttershy, Applejack, Twilight Sparkle, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash screamed in terror. Bellerophon stood around the mares protectively, as if to shield them. Bronze Star pulled a hatchet from his belt and eyed the trees closely. If any of them made a hostile gesture, he was prepared to defend his companions.

The trees seemed to be frozen in place, but Bronze Star was not taking any chances. He rushed toward the nearest tree and raised his hatchet into the air. However, just before he could strike, the sound of laughter filled the air. Everypony turned and saw Pinkie Pie guffawing at one of the trees.

Pinkie's actions deeply confused the other ponies. What she did next confused them even more: she burst into song. Ironically, the song was about chuckling when confronted with a daunting threat. Oddly enough, this seemed to be the solution. The others chuckled at the trees, and one-by-one, their malevolent appearances vanished. Once the song was over, all the mares were rolling on the ground laughing. Bronze Star and Bellerophon could not help but snicker as well. It had been a long time since either of the stallions had seen anything this humorous.

The fourth obstruction was only slightly less strange. The group encountered a lengthy river with an abnormally tumultuous tide. Swimming across it was out of the question. Bellerophon offered to fly everypony over the rapids, but the most he could carry was two at a time. The others did not like this idea; they were uncomfortable with splitting up the group before they knew what awaited them on the other side. Bronze Star had a rope in his supply pack and a grappling hook on his belt. He suggested tying the rope to the hook, tossing the hook across the water, and using the rope to ford the river. This might have worked, except that they had no idea how much space was between them and dry land. The rope might not have been long enough, or Bronze Star's throw may have been inadequate. Aside from that, the currents may have been too strong to resist.

Once they were out of ideas, they located the source of the problem. Further up the stream, a flamboyant serpent was flailing about in the water, sniveling hysterically. The ponies approached him and inquired as to what his problem was. He claimed that a purplish or dark blue cloud of smoke had sailed past him and severed half of his mustache. Now he felt disgraced.

Most of the ponies were generally unsympathetic to his grief, but Rarity stepped in and offered a way to remedy the dilemma. She removed on of his scales, sliced off most of her tail with it, and used her magic to attach it to the area above the serpent's upper lip. He was delighted by this and calmed down very quickly. Once the tide subsided, he allowed the ponies to use his body to cross the river.

Soon, the group arrived at a clearing. From there, Twilight managed to spot the abandoned fortress in the distance. It was less than a mile away. The magic student eagerly ran towards it; the others followed her close behind.

In her haste, Twilight had failed to notice that there was a gorge between them and the castle. She tripped over the ledge and almost tumbled down into the chasm, but Rainbow Dash grabbed her tail and pulled her back up.

Now the group came to their fifth determent, sixty feet of empty space. The Pegasi could easily traverse this distance, but the Earth Ponies, Unicorns, and the disguised Alicorn needed an alternative. From what they could see, the only way across the gorge was a bridge. The bridge had collapsed, but one end of it was still attached to the supports. It happened to be the end on the group's side of the canyon.

Bellerophon presented the same offer he made before; he was willing to carry everypony across the chasm. Although there was no water between the group and their target this time, there was a huge cluster of mist on the other side of the gorge. The other ponies did not want to divide the group up before they knew what was there. Besides, they figured it would be easier and less time-consuming to repair the bridge.

Rainbow Dash volunteered to do this job. She flew down to the hanging end of the bridge, picked it up, and transferred it to the supports on the other side. The others watched as she tied one of the ropes in place. She was about to tie the other one when she abruptly halted. She gazed around in all directions, as if she was expecting an ambush or something.

Bronze Star and the others watched her intently. At one point, she turned away from the bridge. Three mysterious figures appeared in front of her, and she appeared to have a conversation with them. The other seven ponies could not hear what she was saying or see who she was talking to, but she seemed to be engrossed. Thirty seconds later, Rainbow turned back to the bridge and picked up the other rope, but one of the figures stopped her.

Soon, Bronze Star and Twilight Sparkle saw that the three figures had dark blue manes. They called out to her in urgency. Suddenly, the mist shifted and blocked Rainbow Dash from the group's view. As this happened, Twilight implored the athletic pony not to listen to the imposters.

Bellerophon was about to fly across to assist Rainbow Dash, but Bronze Star stopped him. His reasoning was that he was concerned that those three figures might take Rainbow hostage if they tried to intervene. All they could do was wait.

Less than a minute later, the crooked bridge became level with the ground. Then the mist dissipated and revealed Rainbow Dash had successfully fixed the support. She was also on her own; the three figures had vanished. The other seven ponies crossed the bridge and joined her on the other side.

Three hours and ten miles after they first entered the Everfree Forest, the group was so very close to the abandoned fortress. However, they were not there just yet. Before they got there, they would have to overcome their sixth and most treacherous trial.

The eight ponies cautiously approached the dilapidated building. Right when the main entrance was practically within their grasp, they heard a strange rumbling sound. Soon after this, the ground beneath their hooves began to vibrate in a most interesting fashion. For one second, the ground shook. The next second, the shaking ceased. Then the ground shook again. Then it stopped. This pattern continued for a while, and the tremors became consistently stronger.

"Oh my gosh, it's an earthquake!" Pinkie Pie shrieked.

"No, it's not an earthquake!" Twilight countered, "If it was, the ground would be shaking without interruption!"

"Then what in tarnation is causing this?" Applejack demanded.

"The only explanation is that this tremor is artificially created," Twilight conjectured.

"It… it… it is," Fluttershy nervously stammered. The others turned to her and saw that her gaze was fixated on something above their heads. She slowly pointed in the same direction and yelled "Look out!"

The others quickly turned towards the source of the disturbance. When they saw what it was, the color almost drained from their faces. A twenty-foot ogre was approaching them. He was clad in rags and he held a five foot club covered in spikes.

He stopped in front of the ponies and gazed down at them, as if he was studying them. After twenty seconds of tense, deadly silence, the ogre roared in rage, lifted his club into the air, and charged towards the ponies.


	9. Indisputable Fidelity

**Note: I'm going off to Paris on Saturday morning. I'll be really preoccupied there, so chances are I may not be able to update until I get back on the 25****th****. That's why this chapter is so long; I wanted to leave something big to keep you guys occupied. But if I find time to write, I'll most certainly take advantage of it. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy this next chapter.**

"Disperse! Quickly!" Bronze Star shouted.

As the ogre got closer, the eight ponies scattered in all directions. Most of them ran for cover. Bronze Star and a couple others were looking for a way to fight back against the ogre.

"What should we do?" Pinkie Pie asked frantically, bouncing around the area, "What should we do?"

"Just keep moving!" Bellerophon advised the others, "Ogres have a limited attention span! If there's too much activity going on, we may be able to confuse him! Once that happens, we might spot his weakness if he has one!"

Bronze Star and the six mares took this tip into account. They scurried all over the open area. Every now and then, one of them shot a jeer towards the monster to divert his attention away from the others.

A normal ogre would have been unable to keep track of so many ponies at once. However, this ogre seemed to be a touch more clever than the average one. He snarled loudly again and stamped his foot hard against the ground. This tremor was so powerful that all eight of the ponies lost their balance and fell on their flanks.

"So much for that great idea," Rainbow Dash remarked sarcastically from the ground.

"On your hooves, now!" Bronze Star ordered, rising up hastily, "If you stay still, you're just making yourself an easier target!"

Before long, all eight members of the group were up off the ground. They continued darting around the area, but this would only keep them safe from the ogre for a short time.

"Whatever will we do now?" Rarity asked in a dramatic yet serious tone.

"See if you can get closer to him," Bronze Star suggested, "But not too close! If you spot anything that can be exploited as a means to bring him down, let me know!"

The other ponies busied themselves with this task. Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Twilight Sparkle, and Rarity were only willing to get within twenty feet of the ogre. Fortunately, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Bellerophon, and Bronze Star managed to get much closer than that.

At one point, Bronze Star ran directly behind the ogre. He was literally within reach of the creature. He could have sworn he spotted a large blemish on the back of his left leg. But before he got a clearer view, the ogre turned around and swung his club directly at the gold stallion. He missed, but one of the spikes of the weapon grazed the side of Bronze Star's head. It left a shallow cut along his temple. Bronze Star groaned and slowed down his pace for a moment. That moment was all the ogre needed to properly concentrate. He focused on the young prince and raised his club high into the air.

Before he could strike, Applejack lunged towards Bronze Star and pushed him out of harm's way. While she did this, Bellerophon and Rainbow Dash flew in front of the ogre's face to distract him. This gave Applejack and Bronze Star time to get away.

Once Bronze Star regained his coordination, he turned to Applejack and told her "Thank you for that. You probably just saved my life."

"Ah, don't mention it, sugar cube," Applejack responded, smiling pleasantly, "By the way, I think I saw an open flesh wound behind the ogre's right knee."

Bronze Star raised an eyebrow and queried "You're sure it was his right knee?"

"Yup, it may be dark out here, but my eyes don't deceive me," the mare with the hat confirmed.

"Alright, excellent work, Applejack," Bronze Star said appreciatively. He turned back to the open area and called out "Everypony, find some shelter!"

"But Bellerophon just said –" Twilight began.

"I know what he said!" Bronze Star interrupted her, "Now listen to what **I'm** saying! I have a plan to defeat the ogre, but I need your cooperation! Get yourselves to safety! Now!"

The palomino stallion and the six mares obeyed Bronze Star's command. They scurried off to a cluster of trees and concealed themselves amongst the large branches. The ogre paid them no heed; now that he was alone in the clearing with Bronze Star, he planned to focus all his attention on the gold stallion.

He looked down at the pony dressed in black and approached him slowly. The ogre was at least four times larger than the pony, not to mention far stronger and deadlier. At this time, there was nothing he desired more than crushing the pony to pieces.

Bronze Star was not the least bit intimidated by his foe. He merely grinned in amusement and taunted the beast with "Come and get me, you half-witted, oversized mongrel!"

The ogre could not understand these words, but he was more than willing to carry them out. He raised his club into the air, charged towards Bronze Star, and waved his weapon towards the ground. Despite his rapid approach, Bronze Star did not move a muscle. Then at the very last second, he dove under the ogre's legs. Then he reached into his supply pack, pulled out his mask, and slipped it on. After that, he drew a machete from his belt.

Once again, he stood absolutely still and waited for the ogre to turn around. Once the creature was facing him again, Bronze Star dove forward and dug his machete into the giant's right kneecap. The effect was instantaneous; the ogre yelped in agony and almost lost his balance. While the ogre was slouched over, Bronze Star jumped onto his left leg, climbed up it, and stabbed him in the thigh. The ogre shrieked again, and while he was distracted by this newfound pain, Bronze Star climbed up his back.

Over the next two minutes, the ogre struggled to get the gold stallion off of him. He tried shaking him off, reaching back at him, and even waving his club backwards. Nothing worked. Bronze Star gradually climbed higher up the giant's back until he reached his shoulders. Then he took his machete and sliced at the back of the ogre's head. This sudden action was enough to seriously befuddle the ogre, but not enough to bring him down. Bronze Star's next move solved this problem. He shifted his position on the ogre's back and stabbed him below the throat.

At this, the ogre dropped to his knees, and then fell flat on his back. Bronze Star leaped off of him just in time. Before the ogre had a chance to recover, Bronze Star jumped onto his chest and struck him repeatedly in the face with his front hooves. Ogres had tough skin, but Alicorns could pack very powerful punches.

Bronze Star beat the ogre for an entire minute before he relented. By then, he had knocked the beast senseless. Then he drew his machete again and lifted it into the air. He prepared to plunge his blade into the ogre's neck to finish him off. But something about his adversary caught his attention and made him hesitate.

The ogre was still conscious, as his eyes were slightly open. His eyes were actually what stopped Bronze Star from killing him.

One of Bronze Star's hobbies was learning about all the strange creatures that lived in Equestria. He had once read a comprehensive volume about the physiognomy of ogres. According to that book, their pupils were always one of three colors: black, yellow, or red.

This ogre's eyes were dark blue.

Bronze Star was deeply confused by this irregularity. At first, he speculated that this ogre had a rare illness or a genetic mutation, but there was no record of any such thing happening.

Bronze Star thought back to several instances in the past few hours when he had seen other objects that were tinted dark blue. After that, the real reason for the ogre's distinctive eyes quickly dawned on him. For that reason, he chose to spare the ogre's life. So he lowered his machete and sheathed it in his belt. Immediately after this, the ogre's eyes turned yellow and a cloud of dark blue smoke exited from his ear. It bolted away and disappeared from sight.

Bronze Star hopped off the ogre and nonchalantly sauntered away. He then called out "Alright, everypony. The coast is clear!"

Bellerophon and the six mares slowly came back out into the opening. All of them had witnessed the clash between the gold stallion and the ogre. Needless to say, they were absolutely speechless.

When he reached his companions, Bronze Star thought aloud "No need to worry about the ogre. He won't be bothering us anymore."

"I should say not, considering the huge flank-whopping you just gave him," Applejack noted irreverently.

"Wherever did you learn to fight like that, dear?" Rarity questioned in astonishment.

"It's just an acquired skill," Bronze Star claimed.

He tried to make this answer sound candid and sincere, but it did not have that effect on the five mares from Ponyville. None of them were convinced that it was the truth.

"Do you honestly expect us to believe that?" Rainbow Dash remarked in doubt.

"It's one thing to know how to fight," Fluttershy professed, "A soldier or one of Royal Guard might have the ability to bring down a rampaging ogre. But I've never heard of a diplomat who had the prowess to do that single-hoofedly."

"She does have a point," Pinkie Pie coincided, "It's unlikely that a representative from Canterlot could pull off what you just did. Unless… you're more than just our ambassador."

Pinkie Pie zoomed closer to Bronze Star and eyed him suspiciously. Then she stated in a tone of melodramatic skepticism "You **are **just an ambassador, right? Or do you work for somepony other than us?"

Bronze Star was not caught off guard very often, but this was one rare instance when he was. He considered making up another explanation, but he realized that these mares could see straight through a phony allegation. Ultimately, he sighed and retorted with "I suppose I may as well tell the truth; I'm certain all of you can be trusted with it. Believe me, I **am** the ambassador to Ponyville. However, I'm also a member of Princess Celestia's Council, as well as her inner circle. The ponies on those boards are required to go through basic military and combat training. Mostly to be used in the event of an emergency, such as the one we're in."

"Well, that's understandable," Fluttershy commented. The others gave mutters of agreement.

"Why didn't you just tell us that earlier?" inquired Applejack.

Twilight Sparkle could see where Bronze Star was going with this. She stepped in and answered for him: "In Canterlot, having a position on Celestia's Council is considered to be one of the highest honors imaginable. Being in her inner circle is an even greater privilege. For that reason, the names of the people on those boards are supposed to remain confidential. You see, that's about as close as you can get to the Princess without being directly related to her."

Bronze Star almost scoffed at the irony in Twilight's last statement, but he prevented himself. He did not want to have to explain that as well. However, there was still one more small matter we would have to account for.

In all the turmoil, Bronze Star had not yet removed his mask. Since he was facing the other ponies, all of them could see there were three openings on it. Rainbow Dash informed him "Hey, Gold, there's a hole in your mask. Other than the eyeholes, I mean."

It only took Bronze Star a second to realize she was referring to the orifice that his horn was meant to go through. He quickly pulled off his mask and gazed down at it, pretending to seem surprised. Then he slid it into his supply pack and proclaimed "Thanks for letting me know, Rainbow. Must have happened when I climbed up the ogre's back."

"With all due respect, I don't believe so," Rarity countered, "I can spot a flaw in a pony's attire from a hundred feet away, darling. That third hole was already in your mask when you put it on."

"In that case, I have no idea how it got there," Bronze Star asserted.

"Or…" Pinkie Pie began falteringly. She gazed at Bronze Star shiftily and queried "You don't have a hidden third eye, do you?"

"Not as far as I know," Bronze Star drolly retorted.

Despite the absurdity of her question, Pinkie Pie was actually quite serious when she asked it. She leaned up to his forehead and stated shiftily "Can you see me? Hello? Are you there?"

"I don't have a third eye, Pinkie," Bronze Star brusquely assured her, "My uniform just has some notable blemishes in it. I'll get them patched up when we return to Ponyville. All that matters right now is that we get into that fortress."

The other ponies agreed to this proposal. A few seconds later, they heard a weak yet alarming groan. They turned back out to the center of the clearing and saw that the ogre was the source of the commotion. He was still lying flat on his back, moaning in discomfort.

The mares were startled by this sudden outburst. Bronze Star eased their worries by saying "Relax; he won't get up. I didn't permanently disable him, but he'll be out for several hours. At any rate, he's not our problem. In fact, he wasn't our problem to begin with. That's why I spared him; he was possessed."

"'Possessed?'" the six mares inquired in unison.

"Correct," Bronze Star elucidated, "Although ogres are violent creatures, they typically don't attack first unless provoked. The only reason this one did was because he was forced to."

"By who?" queried Bellerophon.

"By the same individual who was responsible for the avalanche, the thorn, the trees, the serpent, and the bridge," Bronze Star responded, "It was Nightmare Moon. She's been trying to dissuade us ever since we entered the Forest."

"Why would she do that?" Rainbow Dash enquired in perplexity.

"The only fathomable explanation is that Nightmare Moon sees us as a threat," Bronze Star speculated. He turned to the fortress and announced "There's no doubt about it, now. The Elements of Harmony are definitely in that building. And despite Nightmare Moon's best efforts to throw us off, all she's doing is prolonging the inevitable. We're going to find the Elements, and we're going to stop her TODAY."

…

Several miles north of the fortress, SIG Sauer was following Dense Miasma along another path in the Forest. So far, the two stallions had not come across anything nearly as problematic or dangerous as the things Bronze Star and his group had come across. In fact, other than an occasional rodent, they had not come across anything at all. SIG Sauer was hoping that would change soon; they had already been galloping for close to thirty minutes.

"How much further to the sphere?" SIG Sauer asked, a little peevishly.

"It should be less than a mile away," Dense Miasma informed him, pointing down the road, "I'm sorry this is taking so long. I know we'll get there soon. I didn't mark the trail, but I'm confident we're almost there. And I'm pretty sure we're not lost."

"You don't have to explain yourself, Dense," the older stallion assured him, "It's easy to misjudge distance in a place like this. Everything about the environment looks very similar, most of the paths are tarnished, and there are no outposts to rest at."

"Can't argue with any of that," stated Dense Miasma. After a moment of silence, he scoffed and said "It's actually kind of funny. Until three days ago, I never once thought I would ever enter this place. But when Noble Edict went around asking for 'volunteers' to watch after some 'anomaly,' I figured I may as well get out and have some excitement. Plus, I wanted to do the town a favor for taking me in."

"Oh, so you haven't lived in Ponyville your whole life?" SIG Sauer presumed.

"Actually, I just moved here two weeks ago," Dense Miasma disclosed, "So did Petal Picker and Soapstone. The three of us share an apartment just outside of town."

"Are they family?" SIG enquired.

"No, but we went to school together," Dense Miasma expounded, "We were roommates at the University of Neightown. Truthfully, I'm not on good terms with my real family. Believe it or not, neither are Petal Picker and Soapstone. We came to rely on each other for support and aid. So after we graduated, we stayed together. Not long ago, we decided to move to Ponyville."

"For the Celebration?" stated the pine green stallion.

"Not entirely," Dense Miasma enlightened him, "The Celebration helped influence our choice, but the primary reason we came here was because we were looking for work. Since Ponyville's a great deal smaller than most of the other settlements in Equestria, we figured it must have a larger demand for labor."

"Makes sense," was all SIG Sauer said in response.

Dense Miasma looked over his shoulder and stated "What about you? Do you have family?"

"Yes, but I haven't seen most of my relatives in years," SIG Sauer replied, "My job always keeps me busy. Whenever I'm not in Canterlot training new recruits or overseeing national security, I'm out on assignment someplace else. That leaves me very little time for family. Or a social life. Not that I ever really cared much for the latter."

"What about the former?" stated Dense Miasma, "Surely you place a high value on your family?"

"Yes, family is extremely important to me," SIG confirmed, "While I'm not on speaking terms with all of my kin, I am on fair terms with a considerable percentage of them. Even so, it's been a long time since I've paid any of them a visit. Partly because almost all of them reside in the settlements. In fact, the only ones that live in Canterlot are my son and my daughter."

"Oh, I didn't know you were a father," Dense remarked. He looked back at the older Unicorn and asked him in interest "What's it like, being a parent?"

"I don't typically discuss my children with ponies I just met," SIG Sauer explicated, "But I already made an exception with Noble Edict earlier today, so I suppose I can make one with you, too. In answer to your question… it's actually somewhat hard to express in words. But I'll do my best."

The two stallions continued trotting through the Forest, but Dense Miasma kept his gaze on SIG Sauer as the latter stated "Have you ever been in a race or a tournament? Or some other type of competition that you vigorously prepared for and looked forward to with great anticipation? And if so, did you manage to win or at least place in that competition?"

"Well, one time at the University of Neightown, I participated in this tourney," Dense Miasma recollected, "I spent many weeks exercising to prepare for it, and even more time eagerly looking forward to it. It was composed of over a dozen types of vigorous sports. The match I entered was supposed to be an all-stallions bout, but that didn't stop Petal Picker and Soapstone from showing up to cheer me on. Their presence really boosted my morale; I did very well in the competition. I wasn't the champion, but I did make runner-up."

"Well, do you remember the great wave of satisfaction you felt upon completing the contest?" SIG Sauer asked rhetorically.

"Oh, yeah," Dense Miasma shamelessly affirmed, "I don't think I'll ever forget it; I celebrated all night long. But what does all this have to do with how it feels to be a parent?"

SIG Sauer then explained his point: "The preparation you put into that tourney is trivial compared to how much preparation would be needed to get yourself ready for parenthood. The time spent waiting for the big day to come would be far more stressful and wearisome. However, even if you were the winner of that competition, I can assure you that the pride you felt when you received your medal would be **nothing** compared to the pride you would feel when you hold your newborn child for the first time. I underwent that exact sensation when I first held my son and my daughter."

Dense Miasma raised an eyebrow in fascination and thought aloud "That's an incredible way of putting it, sir."

"I'm glad you think so," stated SIG Sauer, "In my mind, that's the best way to describe parenthood to a person who is not yet a parent. In a sense, you should classify it as 'winning.'"

"Winning at what?" queried the younger stallion.

"Life," was SIG's concise but direct answer, "Life is precious. There is no greater accomplishment than creating a new one. That's a personal victory that must be cherished."

"I'll be sure to keep that in mind," Dense Miasma pronounced, "Maybe later you and I can talk about this further."

"Perhaps, but let's get to that energy sphere," SIG Sauer proposed.

"Not to worry, sir," Dense Miasma proclaimed, "It's right up here."

The stallions walked on in silence for about twenty seconds. Soon they could hear a calm humming sound. It got increasingly shriller as they walked further down the path. A hazy glow could be seen through the trees up ahead. When Dense Miasma and SIG Sauer reached the end of the path, they arrived at a huge clearing. There was almost nothing on this patch of land: no trees, no bushes, no rocks, no animals, not even a puddle.

All the same, the clearing was not entirely empty. In the center of it, there were two young mares standing close to a giant sphere of dark blue energy; one on either side of it. This sphere was quite large; it had to be at least ten feet in diameter. Despite its dark blue hue, it had to be the brightest thing SIG had seen in hours.

Dense Miasma gestured for SIG Sauer to follow him. As they entered the clearing, the younger stallion called out "Petal, Soap, I'm back!"

The two mares turned around and looked in their direction. The one on the right breathed a sigh of relief and remarked in mild annoyance "Dense, where have you been?"

"Ponyville, or have you forgotten?" Dense Miasma replied somewhat mockingly, "Anyway, what's important is that I'm back. I brought somepony to help"

The two mares watched as the two stallions approached them. The one on the left gazed at SIG Sauer and questioned "Who might you be?"

"My name is SIG Sauer, ma'am," was the pine green Unicorn's answer, "I work for the government."

Right now, it was just light enough that SIG Sauer could clearly make out the appearances of the three ponies. The mare on the right was an Earth Pony with a mauve coat, a brown mane, red eyes, and a clay sculpture for a cutie mark. The mare on the left was a Pegasus with an ochre coat, a violet mane, yellow eyes, and a bouquet of flowers for a cutie mark. He also got a good look at Dense Miasma. He did not notice this earlier, but the younger stallion was a Unicorn with a cerulean coat, a grey mane, black eyes, and a mass of fog for a cutie mark.

"Noble Edict was not available, so he came with me instead," Dense Miasma explained, "I'm confident he'll be able to help us with this matter."

The two mares seemed to be content with their friend's statement, so they calmed down.

The Earth Pony nodded in SIG's direction and said "Name's Soapstone."

"And I'm Petal Picker," stated the Pegasus.

"Good morning, ladies," SIG Sauer acknowledged. "At least, it will be once the Sun's up."

"Well, it's already after nine o'clock and it's nowhere to be seen," Soapstone pointed out.

"That's very unusual, especially for the Summer Sun Celebration," Petal Picker noted.

"He claims it's Nightmare Moon," Dense Miasma informed them.

"I don't claim anything; it **is **Nightmare Moon," SIG Sauer remarked, "Over three hours ago, she appeared in front of the entire town. I was there when it happened. I do not have time to go into detail about everything that's going on. All you need to know is that Princess Celestia is currently missing, and it's my job to find her. At present, I don't have any solid leads, but I have reason to believe that this energy cloud may give me one."

"I guess that's a reasonable assumption," stated Soapstone, "We've been watching this thing for the past three days, and up until a few hours ago, nothing about it changed. So it would make sense if Nightmare Moon is responsible."

"Can't really see what she would want to do with this sphere, but I suppose you'd know better than us," Petal Picker observed, "If you really think something about it could bring back the Sun and Celestia, feel free to check it out."

SIG Sauer nodded and turned his attention towards the energy cloud. He stated firmly to the other three ponies, "For your own safety, I would ask that you move back."

Petal Picker, Soapstone, and Dense Miasma obeyed this request and took several steps away from the energy cloud. Now that SIG Sauer had some room, he got a closer look at the energy cloud.

It was composed of the same type of sparkling dark blue energy as Nightmare Moon. It was also larger than SIG Sauer originally thought. Instead of ten feet, it had to be at least fifteen in diameter. The humming sound it produced had evolved into a high-pitched shriek. Any louder and it could be classified as white noise. The cloud was hovering about ten inches off the ground, but nothing was holding it up.

The energy cloud was indeed shaped like a perfect sphere. However, a small rectangular prism was attached to the base. Because of its position, it stood out rather conspicuously. On this prism were four nine-syllable sentences:

_One moment for contact to begin_

_From darkest past comes future's decree_

_The blood of a friend keeps one within_

_The blood of a fiend will set one free_

SIG Sauer read all of these sentences twice, and then he said over his shoulder "Is this that inscription you referred to?"

"Yeah," Dense Miasma affirmed, "Before I left, we spent a while trying to make sense of it on our own. But we have no idea what it means."

"Do you have any ideas, sir?" Soapstone asked SIG Sauer.

"Well, for starters, it's a riddle," the pine green Unicorn perceived, "That alone tells us plenty. All riddles are fundamentally the same. The wording is supposed to be cryptic, but when you think about it, the solution is very simple."

"So do you think you'd be able to solve it?" queried Petal Picker.

"I'll certainly try," SIG Sauer guaranteed her. He looked down at the inscription and studied all four lines closely. He rubbed his chin as he thought deeply on their meaning. He uttered "'One moment for contact to begin'… 'contact'… has anypony else shown up here in the past few days?"

"No, other than Noble, you're the only person we've seen," Petal Picker answered.

"Have you heard any voices?" the pine green stallion enquired, "Screams? Yells? Anything of the sort?"

"Nope, there's no noise except for the cloud's obnoxious humming sound," Soapstone apprised him.

"Well, 'contact' must refer to a means of communication," SIG Sauer professed. After a moment of thinking, he theorized "Could it be possible that the humming sound is actually the energy cloud itself trying to converse with us?"

"We thought of that, but we don't think it very likely," Dense Miasma disputed, "There's no pattern to the noise, other than that it gets louder as we get closer to the cloud. And that could simply be a reaction to motion."

"Alright, so that brings us nowhere," SIG Sauer declared, "We'll come back to this line, but I have a feeling that finding its meaning would help us solve the next line, as well."

"Why is that?" said Soapstone.

"'From darkest past comes future's decree'" SIG Sauer muttered, "Think about that. People don't use 'past' and 'future' in the same sentence unless they're talking about a cause-and-effect relationship. Maybe once we've made 'contact,' something about the 'past' will determine the course of the 'future.'"

"That would certainly fit the description," Petal Picker coincided, "But **what** about the future would be determined?"

"That must be where the other half of the riddle ties in," SIG Sauer hypothesized, "On that subject, there's something about the last two lines that seems… contradictory. Both hint at the possibility of bloodshed. But only that of a friend or fiend. The first 'keeps one within'; the second 'will set one free.'"

"A most interesting choice of words," Dense Miasma thought aloud, "It's as if it's talking about a prison."

"Actually, it **does** seem like that," SIG Sauer commented. He spent another minute studying the sphere and thinking, but then he noticed something strange. A large silhouette was stretched out along the front side of the sphere. SIG Sauer looked around the area, but there was nopony in the clearing other than himself and the other three ponies. He quickly realized that whatever was casting the silhouette was actually inside the sphere.

SIG Sauer moved in for an even closer look. He soon discovered that it was not an object that was casting the silhouette. He announced to the others "Wait a minute… There's somepony inside this thing."

"What?" Soapstone remarked in surprise, "Are you sure?"

"Very," SIG Sauer replied. Soon, another thought occurred to him. There was the word 'contact' in the first line of the riddle. Up until now, he had assumed that 'contact' referred to verbal communication. But there were multiple ways to define that word. He wondered… maybe in this context, it referred to physical contact. Case in point, maybe physically touching the sphere was the key.

To determine the validity of this idea, SIG Sauer slowly lifted his right front hoof up and placed it against the bottom of the sphere.

Immediately after he made contact with the energy cloud, he saw a very bright light that momentarily blinded him. After the light subsided, his eyesight quickly cleared up. When it did, SIG Sauer looked around and discovered that he was alone and in a different place.

He was no longer outdoors. Instead, he was standing in a hallway. A strangely familiar hallway at that. He studied his new surroundings, hoping to find some indication of where he was. When he could not locate any useful clues in his immediate area, he trotted down the hallway to expand his search.

Near the end of the hallway, he came across a portrait of an elderly stallion. He recognized this stallion; he was Rigid Hunter, the director of the Equestrian Threat Neutralizing Agency (ETNA). He recognized the portrait as well; he used to walk past it every morning when he worked for ETNA. Assuming the portrait was in its proper place, SIG concluded that he had to be at ETNA's headquarters in Canterlot.

But he had not set hoof in this building in seven years. Not ever since… the tragedy.

"You!" a booming voice yelled from the adjoining corridor.

This sudden outburst alarmed SIG, but what alarmed him even more was that he recognized that voice. It was his own.

SIG Sauer hurried over to the next hallway and gazed into it. A pine green stallion was viciously beating an azure mare.

SIG Sauer was now convinced that this was a flashback. He had witnessed this same exact scene once before. But he had been a direct part of it back then. The stallion down the hall was him from seven years ago. The mare he was beating… he would never forget her face. She had haunted his memories ever since this day.

He watched as his past self gripped the mare by her throat, slammed her against the wall, and held a knife to her throat. His past self yelled in rage "How could you do this, you… you… you monster! I trusted you! I saved your life! And this… this is how you repay me? By stabbing me in the BACK!"

"It's not my fault you were so easy to manipulate," the mare replied without any display of emotion, "You shouldn't take this so personal. This was just business."

"'Business?'" SIG's past self muttered through gritted teeth, "People are dead because of your business! People I cared about! People you swore to protect! Do their lives mean nothing to you? Is there anything about you that's for real? Anything AT ALL?"

"Actually, yes," the mare answered nonchalantly, "I really was following orders. I can promise you one thing: if you kill me, you'll never know who my real boss is."

SIG remembered all of this very well. He had spent five minutes contemplating whether or not to stick his knife into that mare's neck. She absolutely deserved to die, and the law would have been on his side if he killed her. But he had sworn an oath to do everything possible to protect the citizens of Equestria. If he did not learn the name of this mare's true employer, her boss would simply find somepony else to in infiltrate the ETNA. So despite his overwhelming desire to kill the mare, SIG Sauer had chosen to let her live. He had summoned a security team to arrest her.

As she was being taken into custody, the mare had gazed back at SIG and called out with a note of heartlessness "Say 'hello' to that nosy mare of yours for me. She's waiting for you in your room."

The first time he heard that remark, SIG Sauer was quite perplexed. But it did not take him long to grasp what she meant. As the security team carried the mare away, SIG Sauer watched as his past self bolted in the opposite direction. He had navigated through the corridors until he came across a door with the label "Chief of Field Operations." This had been his office.

SIG watched as his past self shoved open the door and ran inside. He gazed around frantically, as if he expected to find somepony there. At first, it appeared to be empty. Then he noticed the chair at his desk was turned away from him. He had slowly approached his desk. Very slowly, as if something about it unsettled him. When he reached the chair, he spun it around so that it was facing him.

A female Unicorn was slouched over in the chair. She had a plum coat, an indigo mane, teal irises, and a silver peace symbol for a cutie mark. She was not moving, and she was barely breathing.

SIG Sauer watched as his past self picked up the mare in his front legs. He held her close and said desperately "Wysteria? Wysteria, honey! Are you alright?"

The mare was conscious at this time, but that would change very soon. She was fading away quickly; she had just enough strength to gaze up at SIG Sauer. She managed to bring a small smile onto her face and tell him "I… I'm sorry about this morning."

Earlier that day, the two of them had had gotten into an argument. She had been the one who started it, and it had not ended well for either of them.

SIG Sauer had sorrowfully replied with "I don't care about that. None of it matters now. I've already forgiven you. Please, stay with me. I love you… so much."

Somehow, Wysteria managed to remain smiling and tell the pine green stallion "I… I… I love you, too. With all my heart."

Shortly after that, her smile had dropped, her eyes clamped shut, and her body went limp.

By this point, SIG's eyes were flowing with tears. He begged Wysteria "Don't go, please… Come on, sweetie, wake up. You gotta wake up! Please, you have to be alright! The kids need you! I need you!"

He had tried shaking her, resuscitating her, and straight-out pleading, hoping that something he did would revive her. To his dismay, nothing worked.

The current SIG Sauer could not bear to watch any longer. Going through this event once was terrible enough. He could not imagine enduring it a second time. So he marched solemnly out of the room. When he was out in the corridor, he came face-to-face with Nightmare Moon.

SIG Sauer was still wearing his belt. He reached for his knife, but before he could grab it, the black Alicorn warned him "Do not bother. Do you honestly believe you could harm me here? Surely you must realize that this is all an illusion."

"A very detailed and accurate illusion of an actual event," SIG Sauer heatedly contradicted her. He lowered his front leg and demanded "Why are you showing me this?"

"Because out of all your memories, you consider this one to be your blackest," Nightmare Moon explained to him, "Despite your attempts to shut it away, it brings you pain every single day. Unbearable, torturous pain."

"What do you care about my pain?" SIG Sauer shouted furiously.

"I can help you ease it," Nightmare Moon ambiguously proposed, "You miss your wife. That much is obvious. I can reunite you with her."

SIG Sauer scoffed in astonishment and snappily retorted with "So, what are you saying? That you can bring my wife back? I highly doubt that; you don't have the power to resurrect the dead!"

"Perhaps not in reality," Nightmare Moon audaciously remarked, "But anything is possible in this realm. Here I can offer you a suitable alternative. The next time you go to sleep, I can ensure that your next dream is about you and your wife. I can make this dream last for as long you'd like. You'd be able to care for her, love her, grow old with her… whatever you'd like. I can give you back the life you were so wrongfully deprived of."

"What of my children?" SIG Sauer barked, "Do you truly believe I would ever abandon them for a simple fantasy?"

"No, I would not expect you to," Nightmare Moon frankly disclosed, "However, there is more to this proposition. Whenever your children next fall asleep, I can connect their dreams with yours. You could dream of your wife; they could dream of their mother. Now just imagine that. Your son and your daughter would be able to spend time with both of their parents. That happened very rarely even when your wife was alive, if your other memories of her are any indication."

There was a tense interval of silence before the black Alicorn went on with "Think of this, SIG Sauer. You've devoted your entire life to protecting Equestria's government. What has it gotten you? Respect? Praise? Acknowledgement? That may be enough to appease you, but was all that worth losing the mare you love?"

"I've asked myself that question many times," SIG Sauer remarked, "And every time I do, the answer is always no. However, as horrible as that loss was, I have come to accept it, and I've managed to move on."

"If that was true, this would not have been your blackest memory," Nightmare Moon proclaimed. She started moving towards the pine green stallion and stated portentously "I do not think you fully comprehend just what it is I'm offering you here. I'm giving you the option to live the rest of your life with your wife and children. The four of you, together, incapable of being broken apart. You'd be able to make up for all that lost time. I can make that happen. All you have to do is back away from the energy cloud."

SIG Sauer had to admit that this offer did sound quite appealing. However, he had several reservations about it. For one thing, there was no way he could trust Nightmare Moon to keep her word. She had no loyalties to anypony, and she was more than likely deceiving him. Aside from that, Nightmare Moon was a criminal, and SIG Sauer had always believed in a strict policy of refusing to negotiate with criminals. Plus, as much as he longed to see his wife again, he knew she was gone. No matter how realistic Nightmare Moon tried to make her seem in his dreams, it would not be the real her. Lastly, there was the matter of the string attached to this proposal. That was what really caught his attention.

SIG Sauer looked up at Nightmare Moon and asked suspiciously "Why do you want me to back off? What's so important about the energy cloud? Does it have to do with the person inside it?"

Nightmare Moon seemed to be perplexed by this statement. She remarked innocuously "What are you entailing? There is no 'person' inside that cloud."

SIG Sauer could tell she was lying. Then he stated irreverently "'From darkest past comes future's decree.' What I just witnessed must be the 'darkest past." So now you're giving me two options. Whichever one I pick must be 'future's decree.' Even more interesting is how you're trying to influence my decision. You're offering me so much in exchange for something that apparently amounts to so little. There is no rational explanation for that. Unless…"

He paused for a long while and thought about the scenario very closely. There were a few gaps, but he managed to piece them together with the information he already had. Eventually, he had everything figured out. He leered up at Nightmare Moon and declared "Princess Celestia is in the sphere, isn't she?"

Nightmare Moon did not even try to deceive him this time. She grinned wickedly and replied with "Yes, she is. Now you must decide what you will do about that. Will you make a vain attempt to liberate her, or will you back away and let her be? For your sake, you'd better chose the latter."

"I will not," SIG Sauer boldly declared, "I don't care what you do to me. I'll **never **betray Princess Celestia. Not for anything."

At this, he reached for his knife again and mumbled angrily "Now, end this illusion right now, or we'll find out the hard way if I really **can **harm you in this realm."

Nightmare Moon was not intimidated by this threat, but she chose to comply with his wish. She spoke emotionlessly "Very well."

Immediately, SIG Sauer saw the same prodigiously bright light from before. When it subsided, he was back in the Everfree Forest with Dense Miasma, Petal Picker, and Soapstone.

He noticed that the three younger ponies were gazing at him in astonishment. Justifiably so, as from their point of view, he had not moved a muscle or spoken a word in the past twenty minutes. They tried getting a response out of him, but he did not even seem to notice them in all that time.

"What happened, sir?" queried Petal Picker.

"It would take too long to explain," SIG Sauer responded, "But I know what we have to do."

"What might that be?" asked Soapstone.

"We have to destroy this thing," the pine green stallion declared.

The others were surprised to hear this. Dense Miasma asked "Why do you say that?"

"Princess Celestia is inside it," SIG Sauer informed him, "Nightmare Moon is using the energy cloud to hold her prisoner. That's the whole reason it was planted here in the first place. So we have to get this thing open. Right now."

"You are certain of this?" Dense Miasma assumed.

"Of course I am," SIG Sauer confirmed, turning back to the energy cloud, "Without a single doubt, this must be done."

The cerulean Unicorn, the ochre Pegasus, and the mauve Earth Pony all looked around at each other. A few seconds later, Dense Miasma lightly sighed, stepped behind SIG Sauer, and declared "Very well. Then you leave us no choice."

"What?" SIG Sauer remarked in great confusion. Concerned, he turned around to face the younger Unicorn. Without warning, he felt a sharp jab in his ribcage. It was so sudden and unexpected that it almost took his breath away.

At this moment, SIG Sauer and Dense Miasma were directly facing each other. The young stallion bore an evil smirk accompanied by an expression of sadistic pleasure. He was holding his right front hoof against the spot on SIG Sauer's torso where SIG had felt the rush of pain. He slowly looked down and saw that Dense Miasma had stabbed him with a thin knife just five inches away his heart.

"That hurt?" Dense Miasma asked rhetorically. "'Cause this sure will!"

He dug his knife another inch into SIG's chest and then released his grip on the weapon. SIG Sauer collapsed onto his back, the knife still protruding from his chest cavity.

Although he was in tremendous pain, SIG Sauer brought himself to lean his head forward. Petal Picker and Soapstone carried the same aggressive countenance as Dense Miasma, and they had drawn a similar type of knife. The two mares kept their distance, but the stallion knelt down in front of SIG and told him menacingly "Do not resist this, sir. Stay on the ground. If you make any trouble for us, I will hunt down your children and make them suffer."

Normally, SIG Sauer would have tried to strangle anypony who so much as threatened his children. The only thing stopping him here was the knife in his chest. All he could do from the ground was scowl hostilely. He demanded furiously "Who… who are you people?"

"We're believers, sir," Dense Miasma informed him, "Believers in the glory of night. We have been waiting a long time for this to happen. This is a very memorable occasion. Nightmare Moon has come here to bring prosperity and amity to this land. We will not allow anypony to stand in the way of that. Not Celestia, not Noble Edict, and certainly not you."


	10. Turning The Tables

**Note: Well, what do you know? Between visiting Notre Dame, the Louvre, and the Eiffel Tower, I managed to find time to write! This chapter was originally going to have four sections, but due to the risk of becoming overlong, I cut it down to two. So you may find that not much happens in this chapter. However, the next one should have plenty of excitement to compensate, and I plan to have it up either tomorrow or Saturday.**

SIG Sauer was no stranger to hurt. All throughout his career, he had suffered a multitude of injuries and damages. More than a few of them had been particularly life-threatening. He was very well-acquainted with terror, too. He had been involved in many situations where he had to put himself in danger. On occasion, he had gone in knowing there was a huge probability that he would not live through the event.

Although there were many perilous occupational hazards that came with his job, SIG Sauer did not let them bother him. He had been trained to resist interrogation, and he often voluntarily put himself at risk to protect others.

SIG could bring himself to tolerate the knife in his chest, and no matter how hopeless his current dilemma seemed, he was not going to panic. He was an expert at withstanding pain, and fear was practically a foreign concept to him.

However, SIG Sauer was not immune to shock. He was quite capable of being surprised. At present, he was completely astounded. One could hardly blame him. After all, he had just been led into a trap by a group of ponies who appeared to revere Nightmare Moon as an idol.

SIG Sauer grunted through strained breaths "How long have you been planning this?"

"Long enough to leave no margin for error," Dense Miasma responded bluntly.

"Well, I'm afraid your efforts are in vain," SIG Sauer remarked cheekily, "Do you honestly believe you'll get away with this? If so, you may as well declare war on Equestria. Every single pony in this country will be searching for Princess Celestia. It will only be a matter of time before this location is discovered, and once it is, your scheme will be terminated."

"I highly doubt that," Petal Picker observed, "This area is very well-hidden. By the time somepony else stumbles across it, it will be too late."

"Noble Edict knows about this place," SIG audaciously reminded them, "She might send out a search team if we fail to return to Ponyville soon."

"No matter," stated Soapstone, "If she or any of her staff comes along, we'll deal with them. You must realize that we will not hesitate to silence anypony who stands in the way of Nightmare Moon's return."

"Then why haven't you finished me off?" SIG Sauer inquired, raising an eyebrow in interest.

"Because we still need you, Mr. Sauer," answered a voice from off to the side.

SIG Sauer lifted his head a little more and gazed in the direction of the voice, as did Petal Picker, Soapstone, and Dense Miasma. They watched as two figures stepped out of a cluster of trees and into the clearing. One of them was a very large, musclebound stallion with a towering figure. The other was a mare dressed in a cloak with the hood drawn over her head. The latter had been the one who spoke.

These two new ponies gradually approached the four near the energy cloud. Soapstone and Petal Picker backed away to give them room to pass. The huge stallion stood between the two of them, and the hooded mare stopped next to Dense Miasma. She gazed down at SIG Sauer and briefly examined him with her eyes. SIG was not certain of this, but it actually appeared as though she was looking at him with a form of… admiration.

"Just who in the name of Tartarus are you?" he enquired crossly.

"My name is unimportant; think of me as Nightmare Moon's messenger," the hooded mare answered, "Also, try not to talk too much; it will put additional pressure on your stab wound and make you weaker. I would prefer to keep you alive and conscious for now."

After an extended period of silence, the shadowy mare continued with "I have heard of you, SIG Sauer. You are a war veteran, a patriot, and a legionnaire. Most of all, you are a pawn of Celestia. Therefore, you are exactly what we need."

"Need for what?" demanded SIG Sauer.

"Isn't it obvious?" the mare said somewhat mockingly, "Think of the last two lines of the riddle. 'The blood of a friend keeps one within,' and 'the blood of a fiend will set one free.' Those statements are meant to be taken literally."

"Okay, so you need actual blood," SIG Sauer presumed.

"Correct," the hooded mare confirmed, "But not just any type of blood. It must be the blood of either a certain individual's friend or fiend. In context, whose friend and whose fiend do you suppose the riddle is referring to?"

"I would have to guess Nightmare Moon's," SIG Sauer perceived, "After all, she's the one who planted the energy sphere."

"While that's certainly a logical assumption, you are incorrect," the mare disclosed, "'One' is not the person who created the energy sphere. Instead, it is the person being held prisoner inside of it."

"You mean Princess Celestia?" stated the pine green Unicorn.

"Yes," the hooded mare confirmed, "To reiterate, a friend's blood would 'keep her within,' and a fiend's blood could 'set her free.' As you have probably gathered, my colleagues and I have no love for your leader. We are determined to keep her inside of that sphere. In order for that to happen, we need to provide the sphere with a sample of blood from a living, breathing individual who has irrefutable allegiance to Celestia. Of the six ponies here, you're the only one who meets those criteria. Therefore, we can use your blood to permanently shut the sphere."

"You are badly mistaken if you think I'd ever let you use me against my ruler," SIG Sauer spat angrily.

"You make it sound as though you have a choice," the mare remarked sardonically. She peered over her shoulder and commanded "Tough Titan, get him up."

"As you wish, ma'am," the large stallion acknowledged. Up until now, he had not spoken a word.

Tough Titan slowly walked around her and Dense Miasma, and then he approached the wounded stallion. He reached down, gripped SIG Sauer by his sides, and lifted him into the air. Although the pine green Unicorn was not in much of a condition to put up a struggle, Tough Titan was not going to give him an opportunity to do so. When he was facing SIG Sauer, he spun him around, seized his front legs, and forced them over his head.

Once Tough Titan had SIG Sauer restrained, he turned to the hooded mare so that both of them were facing her. After that, she gradually neared SIG Sauer until she was directly in front of him. Then she reached forward, took ahold of the knife in SIG's chest by the hilt, and extracted it slowly. SIG Sauer moaned quietly, but he managed to endure the pain. Once the blade was out of him, the hooded mare held it in front of her eyes and examined it closely. She smugly declared "Looks as though Dense Miasma cut you pretty deep. This should more than suffice."

"Wonderful," SIG Sauer sarcastically remarked. After a moment, he smirked and questioned "Just how exactly do you plan on submitting the blood to the sphere, anyway? I don't see any openings in it. Not even a crack in the surface."

"All I have to do is hold this knife up to the tablet with the inscription, and a small vessel will appear below it," the hooded mare elucidated, "I will simply hold the knife up to the bowl and allow your blood to trickle in. Once it's received just a few drops, Celestia will be stuck inside forever. Then, of course, you will be disposed of."

SIG Sauer scoffed at this last remark. The mare in the hood raised an eyebrow and queried "Is there something you find amusing here?"

"Yes, you," the pine green stallion remarked cheekily, "You claim to know me. If that's true, then you'd know that I'm a soldier who is always ready to die for his country."

"Well, luckily for you, I can assure you that that will indeed be your fate," the hooded mare retorted.

"Maybe, but there is one small problem," SIG Sauer countered, "Since I'm a soldier, there is something else you should know about me. In tight situations, I can do something to gain the upper hoof on my adversaries."

"Just what might that be?" the mare asked dully.

"This," SIG Sauer replied softly. He tilted his head upwards at the sky and closed his eyes. Without warning, a huge burst of red energy shot out of his horn. It sailed a hundred feet into the air and exploded like firecrackers. The other five ponies hastily covered their eyes to avoid being blinded. SIG Sauer could feel Tough Titan's grip loosen on him. When it did, he thrust his head backwards and struck the huge stallion underneath the throat. This caused Tough Titan to release his hold altogether. Now that he was free, SIG Sauer opened his eyes and focused his attention on the mare in the hood. He stepped up to her, swiped the knife from her hoof, and punched her squarely in the face. His blow was so powerful that he knocked her out cold.

Once the hooded mare was on the ground, SIG Sauer turned to face her associates. Each of them had recovered from the disorienting effects of the burst of red energy. Petal Picker and Soapstone were pointing their knives menacingly at the pine green stallion. Dense Miasma and Tough Titan were unarmed, but they were more than capable of fighting with their hooves.

Although he was now unrestrained and equipped with a weapon, the odds did not look very high in SIG Sauer's favor. He was a middle-aged stallion with a stab wound, and he was up against four young adults who were in better physical condition than him. However, he had never been one to judge his chances of victory in a conflict by reflecting solely on his disadvantages. Besides, he had come out on top in tighter situations.

SIG Sauer grimaced angrily and muttered through gritted teeth "You are traitors. All of you. You will be charged with conspiracy to commit treason, and you will be summarily executed for it."

"That a fact?" Dense Miasma sneered, "You're the only witness to this affair. The only material the courts could use to convict us is your word. Once you're dead and Celestia is trapped in that sphere, there will be no evidence against us."

"Oh, trust me, I'm the least of your worries right now," SIG Sauer disclosed, "That burst of energy I fired was not just a diversionary tactic. It doubles as a distress beacon. In total darkness, it can be seen for up to twenty miles in any direction. So even if you manage to kill me, it won't be long before this place is swarming with the Royal Guard."

At this revelation, the other four ponies seemed to become somewhat tense and nervous. SIG Sauer noticed this and smirked in satisfaction. Then he announced "So now, you've got three options. One, retreat and hope we never find you. Two, surrender and throw yourselves to the mercy of the courts. Three, go ahead with your original plan and try to use me to seal the energy sphere. At least with the first two choices, you'll have a chance of survival. But if you take the third one, you may as well sign your death warrants. Because I have no qualms whatsoever about killing traitors."

…

Back at the fortress, Bronze Star, Bellerophon, and the six mares had arrived at the front of what appeared to be the throne room. The building was ancient, derelict, and covered with vines, but it did not appear to be in danger of caving in. So the group deemed it safe to enter.

After passing through the main entrance, they spotted a huge pedestal in the center of the throne room. There were six small platforms attached to the podium; five of them held a large stone orb. These orbs were made of solid granite, and each one of them had a three-dimensional octagon imbedded on one side. They were exactly what the group had come for.

As the ponies approached the platform, Applejack remarked in amazement "Whoa."

What she said pretty much summarized what everypony else was thinking. The farm pony turned to the magic student and told her invitingly "Come on, Twilight. Isn't this what you've been waitin' for?"

Twilight Sparkle was walking at the back of the group. She slowly passed between her companions and uttered in delight "The Elements of Harmony, we've found them!"

"Let's get a closer look at them," Bronze Star suggested.

Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and Bellerophon flew up to the orbs and removed them from their resting spots on the pedestal. As the Pegasi transferred the stone balls to the ground, Twilight warily urged them "Careful, careful!"

Once all the orbs were gathered in front of the group, Pinkie Pie thought aloud "One, two, three, four… There's only five!"

"Where's the sixth?" Rainbow Dash inquired in concern.

In response, Twilight Sparkle announced "The book said: _when the five are present, a spark will cause the sixth Element to be revealed._"

The others found this answer quite ambiguous. Applejack queried in confusion "What in the hay is that supposed to mean?"

"I'm not sure, but I have an idea," Twilight replied. She stepped up to the five orbs and tilted her head towards the stone balls. Once her horn was aimed directly at them, she closed her eyes and instructed the others "Stand back. I don't know what will happen."

The other seven ponies moved several steps away to give the lavender Unicorn some room. However, they did not feel this would be enough to allow her to focus properly. Applejack trotted back over to the front entrance and proposed "Come on now, y'all. She needs to concentrate."

The rest of the group followed her outside in an orderly fashion. Twilight was left in solitude to somehow produce a "spark." Although her acquaintances were more than fifty feet away from her, they were ready to rush back in at a moment's notice.

"How long do you think this will take?" asked Fluttershy.

"As long as Twilight needs," Bronze Star surmised.

"Let's hope 'long' is not too long," Rarity mentioned, "Right now, time is a luxury we cannot afford."

"No need to worry, Rarity," Bellerophon pronounced, "Twilight Sparkle is well-versed on many types of magic. If anypony can figure out this predicament, it's her. However, we cannot expect her to find a solution straightaway. She will need a few minutes at least."

Bronze Star and the five mares agreed to be patient. They stood idly by the entrance, waiting for Twilight to produce some results. After a minute, Applejack proclaimed "Hey, take a gander over there."

Everypony turned to look in the direction she was pointing. In the distance, a huge red flash of light ascended high above the trees and exploded in the sky.

"Ooooo, pretty," Pinkie Pie commented giddily.

"Why are there fireworks going off?" Rainbow Dash enquired in bewilderment, "Isn't it a little early to celebrate?"

"Oh, it's never too early or too late to celebrate anything, Dashie!" Pinkie Pie claimed happily, "One time, I threw three parties for my sister to celebrate her birthday. But only one of them was on the actual day she was born. The others took place a week before and a week after. I wanted to throw a fourth party on the same day as the second one, but I thought that would be a little too-"

"Pinkie, I'm so sorry to interrupt you, but I don't think now is the time to talk about this," Fluttershy calmly interjected.

"Alright, I can wait," the bubbly pink mare concurred. She soon quieted down.

Although it had been more than thirty second since the explosion, the red light in the sky had not dissipated in the slightest. Bronze Star focused on it closely and declared "Those aren't fireworks. That's the Equestrian military's universal distress signal."

"You mean like an S.O.S.?" presumed Rainbow Dash.

"Yes, only much more exigent," Bronze Star affirmed, "The only reason anypony would cast it is if they are in mortal peril."

All five of the mares became somewhat unsettled upon hearing this news.

"Is it coming from Ponyville?" questioned Pinkie Pie.

"No, that's much too close to be Ponyville," Rarity observed.

"I think it's coming from somewhere else in the Forest," Applejack perceived.

"Oh no, this is horrible," Fluttershy muttered anxiously, "Somepony could be in serious trouble."

"Well, whoever he is, he must be Equestrian military," Bronze Star concluded, "If he's in need of aid, we should send him some."

The gold stallion then turned to the palomino Pegasus and stated "Bellerophon, I want you to go investigate."

The chief of staff was surprised to hear this command. He remarked in perplexity "With all due respect, sir, why must I go? I'm not a soldier or Royal Guard. I've never been in any branch of the Equestrian military. In fact, I have not even been in many combat situations, either."

"True, but you **are **the fastest flyer I know," Bronze Star explicated, "Plus, you're as large as an Alicorn of your age. Your speed and size might leave a deep impression on whoever is threatening our colleague over there. That may be enough to encourage the attacking party to back off. Even if it's not, at least our friend will be reassured that help is on the way."

"That is certainly a logical and practical viewpoint," Bellerophon admitted, "Truthfully, I'm not that unconfident in my physical abilities. However, I'm still quite hesitant about leaving you and the mares alone by this fortress. In a way, it would feel as though I was abandoning you all."

"Oh, if you're worried about us, you shouldn't be," Applejack assured the chief of staff.

"Yeah, we can totally watch our own flanks," Rainbow Dash validated.

"If you have to go stop somepony from getting hurt, we don't mind," Fluttershy insisted.

"Are you certain of that?" Bellerophon asked skeptically

"Well, six times Nightmare Moon tried to stop us, and six times she failed," Rarity recalled.

"We've already made it this far," Pinkie Pie mentioned, "We already have most of the Elements of Harmony. Before long, we may have all of them. We can go on by ourselves for a little longer."

"And in case you've forgoteen, I incapacitated an ogre a few minutes ago," Bronze Star wryly pointed out, "Trust me, Bellerophon; we can handle this."

After a few seconds of consideration, Bellerophon lightly shrugged his shoulders and asserted "Based on the events of the past few hours, I would be a complete fool to think that the six of you could not survive on your own out here. I'm convinced that you are more than capable of keeping yourselves and each other safe. Since none of you have any objections, I shall go and explore the area around that distress beacon. If one of our own is in trouble, I will provide whatever aid I can. Just promise me that you will deal with Nightmare Moon once you have all six of the Elements of Harmony."

"I give you my word," Bronze Star guaranteed him. The five mares gave the large stallion the same pledge. Once they did, Bellerophon extended his wings, rose up into the sky, and rapidly flapped to the north towards the red light. Soon he vanished from their sight.

Bronze Star was now alone with the five mares from Ponyville. They paced near the entrance of the fortress in uninterrupted silence for another minute.

Ultimately, Fluttershy broke the silence with "Twilight's been in there for a while now."

"Maybe she's encountered a hitch," Applejack theorized.

"I'm going to check up on her," Bronze Star decided, "Make sure she's alright and such."

None of the mares protested this idea. The gold stallion trotted back into the throne room and began to approach the lavender Unicorn. He was about to ask Twilight how her progress was going, but before he could open his mouth, he noticed that a cloud of dark blue smoke was rising up through the ground near her feet. It was quickly surrounding the stone orbs.

Bronze Star immediately realized what was going on. He sprinted towards the center of the room and yelled in urgency "Twilight, look out!"

Twilight opened her eyes and discovered the source of her friend's warning. She promptly screamed in shock and disarray.

"Twilight!" the mares edgily shouted in response.

The dark blue smoke gradually altered itself into a fast-spinning vortex. As it increased the speed of its rotations, it completely engulfed the stone orbs.

"The Elements!" Twilight cried in apprehension. In a desperate maneuver to save the stone orbs, Twilight dove forward to try intercepting them from the vortex. By now, Bronze Star had reached her, and he tried to help her retrieve the stones.

Suddenly, there was a flash of light, and the vortex disappeared, along with everything in its immediate area, including Bronze Star, Twilight Sparkle, and all five of the orbs.

The other five mares Ponyville had reentered the throne room, but found that they were alone.

"Twilight? Gold?" Fluttershy called out in worry.

"_What?_" Applejack yelled in perplexity

"Where did they go?" Rarity asked frantically.

"What happened?" Pinkie Pie shrieked.

"What's going on?" Rainbow Dash demanded.

Of course, these questions went unanswered. The only thing the mares could tell for certain was that Twilight Sparkle and Bronze Star were now missing, and so were the Elements of Harmony.


	11. Sacrifice Of Heroes

**Note: Well, I'm back in the United States! My vacation in Paris was awesome. But the return flight... not so much. It's a ten-hour flight from France to my home in Dallas, Texas, and I was alright with that. However, a major thunderstorm hit the airport just as we were approaching it. Isn't that ironic; Tarrant County has only gotten rain like three times in the past month, and one of them had to be today! We ended up having to refuel in Houston and then flying back to Grapevine. In total, we had a four-hour delay. Needless to say, I'm pretty restless right now. By the way, you should know that this chapter is MUCH more dramatic than most of the previous chapters, and it marks the first major shift in the main plot line. It also introduces another crucial story arc, so pay close attention to certain sections.**

Less than ten minutes had passed since SIG Sauer had ignited his distress beacon and armed himself. Very little had happened since then. He was still confronting his new opponents, but neither side had attacked yet. Although they outnumbered him four-to-one, he was more than capable of evening out the odds. However, he had an injury to account for, so he decided that his best strategy would be the one which involved moving around as little as possible. Because of that, he was hoping that one of his opponents would attack first. Obviously, they needed a little encouragement.

"It won't be long before we have company," SIG Sauer apprised them tauntingly, "If you are going to pick an option, you better decide now. So, what's it going to be? Retreat? Surrender? Or option three?"

Dense Miasma slowly stepped forward and declared "We have been waiting days, weeks, months, even years for this to happen. In order to close itself, the energy sphere will need the blood of one of Celestia's allies, but it will only accept the blood if the donor is still alive. However, that does not imply that the blood has to be yours. Whenever your reinforcements come along, we'll battle them until one of them is wounded in close proximity to the sphere. Then we'll use his blood. There; problem solved. So we don't need you anymore."

Dense Miasma gazed around at his three colleagues and ordered them sternly "Kill him."

Petal Picker, Soapstone, and Tough Titan simultaneously charged towards SIG Sauer with the intent to eliminate him. The pine green Unicorn held the dagger defensively and waited for them to get within two feet of him. Once they were upon him, he drove them back with a powerful wave of the dagger. Although he was focusing on all three of them at once, he planned to take them out individually.

Soapstone was the most unruly; whenever she got close to SIG, she hacked at him viciously. As he parried her blows, he scrutinized the Earth Pony's actions to find an exploitable flaw in them. Ten seconds later, she swiped her knife at SIG's torso, but she missed by several inches. Before she had a chance to rejoin, SIG Sauer gripped Soapstone by her mane, pulled her head back, and slashed her throat open with the dagger. When he released her, she dropped to the ground and quickly bled out.

Petal Picker used a shrewder method of fighting. Her approach relied more on tactics than force. While she was more heedful and strategic, her style employed a limited number of maneuvers. SIG Sauer soon recognized a pattern in the Pegasus' behavior and spotted a fatal error. At one point, she thrust her knife towards SIG's forehead. He dodged her attack, knocked her front leg out of the way, and plunged the dagger into her abdomen. He twisted the weapon around and let it go. Petal Picker collapsed onto the ground and did not move.

Tough Titan proved to be more difficult to defeat than either of the mares. He did not carry a weapon, but he did not need one. His skin was tough as nails, and his strength was three times that of a normal stallion. A single solid punch to SIG's face or chest would have been enough to incapacitate him. The pine green Unicorn just barely managed to avoid being struck down by the larger stallion.

Tough Titan did not appear to have any weakness, but SIG Sauer had a ploy in mind to bring him down. It was a ploy he did not enjoy using, but it had never failed him before.

SIG Sauer drew his special knife from his belt and held it in an aggressive stance. When Tough Titan rushed towards him with his right front hoof raised, SIG made his move. He jumped forward and waved his knife twice at Tough Titan's upper body. He left two cuts in the larger stallion's throat; one on either side. The cuts were long but quite shallow, and they did nothing to slow Tough Titan down. In actuality, they were not meant to be lethal for him. However, his next injury most certainly would be.

Infuriated by the feeling of pain in his neck, Tough Titan aimed a punch at SIG Sauer's head and swung with all his might. SIG Sauer ducked under the larger stallion's front leg, scurried behind him, and jumped onto his back. Then he lifted his knife high into the air and stabbed Tough Titan in the back of the neck. The large stallion groaned in misery, but he was still standing on his hooves. SIG's next move would remedy that.

SIG Sauer raised his right front hoof high into the air and slammed it against the hilt of his knife. As a result, the blade sunk further into Tough Titan's throat, and a deafening "SNAP" sound was produced. This indicated that the knife had pierced the top of Tough Titan's vertebrae and severed it from the rest of his spinal column.

Tough Titan stood absolutely still for about ten seconds. Then his head slid off his shoulders and rolled across the ground. Shortly after, his decapitated body crumpled as well.

There were now three corpses scattered across the ground. SIG Sauer stood above them triumphantly. He leaned down to the hugest one, extracted his knife, and wiped the blade clean. Then he turned back to Dense Miasma and cockily pronounced "Now it's just you and me."

Inwardly, the cerulean Unicorn was saddened and enraged for the loss of his associates. However, he managed to contain his grief and his fury. He glared at SIG Sauer with an icy stare, as if he was contemplating a variety of brutal ways to slay him. Ultimately, he merely grinned and stated haughtily "You'll find I am a little more experienced at skirmishing than my colleagues. You remember our conversation from earlier on? You might question the authenticity of some of the things I said, but what I told you about the University of Neightown was not fabricated. I really did compete in that tourney, and I really did place second in one of the events. You know which event that was?"

"Throwing knives at people's backs?" SIG Sauer scathingly conjectured.

Dense Miasma lightly shook his head and revealed "Mixed martial arts."

After he said this, he abruptly did a hoofspring forward and landed in front of SIG Sauer on his hind feet. The older stallion prepared to strike the younger stallion with his knife, but Dense Miasma did a roundhouse kick to SIG's side, throwing him off balance.

SIG Sauer momentarily stumbled, but he recovered without delay. Dense Miasma threw an upper cut towards SIG's chin, but the pine green stallion blocked his blow and pushed him back. While SIG Sauer was not very familiar with mixed martial arts, he was an expert in hoof-to-hoof combat. He would not go down without a struggle.

A vicious brawl quickly ensued; it lasted almost three whole minutes. Punches were thrown, kicks were delivered, and blows were exchanged all over. Both stallions were equally determined to win this conflict, and both proved to be extremely capable fighters. Dense Miasma had the advantages of youth and flexibility on his side, but SIG Sauer was able to compensate with his understanding of army tactics and adroitness. The fact that he was armed and Dense was not provided him with little reassurance. Dense Miasma did not even need a weapon to spar with SIG Sauer.

Near the end of the third minute, Dense Miasma's front leg shot forward and struck SIG on his open wound. SIG Sauer silently groaned and staggered backwards. Dense Miasma took this opportunity to lunge forward and trip the older stallion. SIG fell flat on his back; Dense stood over him to pin him down.

SIG Sauer tried to stab Dense Miasma in the shoulder, but Dense intercepted his right front hoof and held it back. He tried to wrestle the blade away from SIG, but the pine green stallion had a tight grip on his weapon. This gave the cerulean stallion an idea. He wrapped both of his own front hooves around SIG's right front hoof and turned it towards the older Unicorn so that his knife was pointed at him. Then he pushed straight down as hard as he could.

SIG Sauer realized that Dense Miasma was trying to make SIG stab himself in the throat. His left front leg was still free, but Dense's throat was out of reach. Thankfully, knife was not. He quickly grabbed ahold of its handle with his left front hoof and tried to pull it away from him. He put up substantial resistance to counter Dense Miasma's force, and if he was unharmed, it may have been enough. However, SIG could feel the strain on his injury getting tighter, and it weakened him considerably. Dense Miasma smirked evilly; he was confident that he now had the upper hoof. He gradually pushed the knife closer to SIG Sauer's neck.

When the tip of the blade was less than an inch from SIG's throat, a sickening "crunch" sound filled the air. Subsequently, the smirk on Dense Miasma's face faltered and he froze in his position. Then he released his grip on SIG's knife, and he did not blink, breathe, or move in any way. SIG Sauer was perplexed by this new behavior. Dense Miasma had been so close to finishing him off; it would make no sense for him to relent.

Then he noticed some movement behind the cerulean Unicorn. A figure was standing over them. One of its front hooves was pressed against the flipside of Dense Miasma's head. When Dense Miasma slumped forward, SIG Sauer discovered that he had been stabbed straight through his skull with a switchblade.

The figure pushed Dense Miasma's body off of SIG Sauer and leaned down in front of the pine green Unicorn. It inquired restlessly "Sir, are you alright?"

SIG Sauer recognized the figure's voice. "Noble?"

"Yes, SIG, it's me," Ponyville's chief of security affirmed. She gazed around the area, and then back down at her wounded colleague. She asked in worry "What in Tartarus happened here?"

"We were deceived," was all the pine green Unicorn said at first. He tried to look behind Noble Edict, and then he queried "Did anypony else accompany you here?"

"No, I came alone," she told him. She then spotted the open wound on SIG's chest. "Oh, my Celestia… SIG, you've been stabbed!"

"I noticed," the stallion remarked sarcastically. Then he got serious and explicated "But that's not important. Listen to me; I've found Princess Celestia. It may be up to you to rescue her."

"What are you talking about?" Noble Edict queried in a mixture of curiosity and puzzlement.

SIG Sauer was about to clarify what he meant. Before he could, he saw some activity in the air above the clearing. His distress beacon had started to fade, but it was bright enough for him to see that somepony was flying amongst the remnants.

He tapped the red Earth Pony on her shoulder and whispered to her in necessity "Somepony's up there!"

Noble Edict looked up at the sky at the corner of her eye, and she saw what her colleague saw. She quickly retrieved the knife she had used to kill Dense Miasma and stood over SIG Sauer. If they were still in danger, she was prepared to defend her hurt colleague.

A minute later, the winged creature descended to the ground and landed between the security officers and the energy sphere. It became apparent that he was an abnormally large Pegasus with a palomino coat. Upon this discovery, SIG Sauer and Noble Edict knew who he was.

"Bellerophon, what are you doing here?" SIG inquired.

"We saw your distress beacon," the tall stallion answered.

"'We?'" Noble Edict restated.

"Before I came here, I was in a group of eight," Bellerophon specified, "The others were the ambassador, Twilight Sparkle, Applejack, Fluttershy, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and Rainbow Dash. We were searching for the Elements of Harmony in another part of the Forest when we spotted the red lights. The ambassador sent me to survey the area."

"Will he and the mares be alright on their own?" queried Noble Edict in concern.

"I believe so," the palomino Pegasus replied, "We managed to track the Elements to an abandoned fortress several miles south of here. Presently, all but one of them are accounted for. The missing one should be reacquired shortly."

"Good, and not a moment too soon," SIG Sauer proclaimed. He pointed to the energy sphere and announced "While the others are preoccupied with the Elements, we must do everything we can to open that sphere."

"Why is that?" Bellerophon enquired. Up until now, he had not wondered why SIG Sauer was lying on the ground. He noticed the stab wound in the pine green Unicorn's chest and questioned anxiously "And how did this happen?"

"SIG Sauer was assaulted," Noble Edict told the tall Pegasus.

SIG Sauer gestured to the bodies scattered across the ground and said "These ponies; they tried to kill me. Had Noble Edict not arrived when she did, they may have succeeded."

"Why did they want you dead?" Bellerophon demanded.

"Same reason they were guarding that sphere: they are followers of Nightmare Moon," SIG Sauer disclosed.

While this did answer one question, it raised so many others. SIG Sauer gave Noble Edict and Bellerophon a brief but thorough summary of everything that had occurred in the area since Dense Miasma had brought him there. He covered everything, including the riddle, his vision, Nightmare Moon's attempt to bribe him, the discovery of Celestia's whereabouts, Dense Miasma's betrayal, the revelation of the cult, and the subsequent scuffle.

"Nightmare Moon is responsible for everything that happened here," SIG Sauer expounded, "In order to keep Princess Celestia ensnared in that cloud, Dense Miasma and his colleagues needed a blood specimen from one of her devout followers. They ended up choosing me."

"Thank goodness they did not succeed," Bellerophon commented. He looked around at the five cultists' bodies and asked "Are they all dead?"

"The one in the cloak isn't," SIG Sauer informed him, "She's just unconscious."

Bellerophon smiled in approval and thought aloud "Excellent. She could be the solution to this."

"What makes you say that?" asked Noble Edict.

"According to SIG Sauer, the blood of one of Celestia's living allies would trap her inside the energy sphere," Bellerophon pointed out, "That is what is meant by 'the blood of a friend keeps one within.' However, recall that 'the blood of a fiend will set one free.' By the previous logic, what do you suppose the blood of one of Celestia's living enemies would do?"

Noble Edict and SIG Sauer could easily tell what he was implying.

"Let's try to revive her," the Ponyville chief of security proposed.

Bellerophon walked over to the hooded mare and lifted her up off the ground. Noble Edict approached them and rubbed her front hooves together. While the palomino Pegasus held up the hooded mare, the red Earth Pony harshly slapped her across the face and shouted "Wake up!"

The hooded mare slowly stirred back into consciousness. Despite feeling slightly dizzy from being knocked around twice, she gathered her bearings and realized she was being restrained. She struggled to break free, but Bellerophon was much stronger than she was.

"What is going on?" she demanded heatedly.

SIG Sauer slowly picked himself up off the ground and limped towards the mysterious mare. He gave a wicked grin and informed her "Your little scheme failed. All your cohorts are dead."

The mare was shocked to hear this, but she did not show her discontentment. She stated smugly "That makes little difference. Your precious princess is still trapped inside that sphere. Even if it is not permanently sealed, you'll never get her out of there."

"Oh, I beg to differ," SIG Sauer snappily retorted. He drew his knife and held it close to the mare's head, as if he was going to slit her throat. Instead, he held the blade against her left front leg and stated "We have already established that the blood of one of Celestia's allies would 'keep her within.' My blood would certainly have that effect, as would the blood of both my colleagues here. However, what would happen if we gave the sphere **your **blood?"

A worried expression came across the hooded mare's countenance, and she mumbled "I haven't the slightest idea."

"Well, I bet it would 'set her free,'" SIG Sauer perceived, leaning in closer, "The key to opening that energy sphere is coursing through your veins."

SIG ran his knife along the mare's front leg and sliced a segment of her skin open. Ignoring her whine of pain, he drew some of her blood and coated his knife with it. When the entire blade was red and dripping, SIG Sauer turned to the energy sphere and approached it slowly. As he did, he gazed over his shoulder and stated cheekily "Ironic, isn't it? You've spent so much time preparing this plot, but it turns out you'll be responsible for its failure."

When he reached the energy sphere, SIG held his knife near the inscription. In response, a small, circular basin materialized above the tablet. SIG was about to deposit the hooded mare's blood into the bowl, but out of nowhere, he felt a sudden rush of pain to his midsection. He doubled over, clutched his side with his free front hoof, and dropped to the ground.

Noble Edict rushed forward to the pine green Unicorn's side and asked agitatedly "SIG, what's wrong?"

Underneath her hood, the mare was grinning wickedly. Although Bellerophon was still restraining her, he had been distracted by SIG Sauer's collapse. The mare had a chance to break free from the large Pegasus' grasp.

She ran forward until she was ten feet away from the others. Then she reached into her pocket, pulled out a small pill, and turned back to the other ponies. She saw that Bellerophon was about to rush towards her in attempt to recapture her. She held the pill up to her mouth and warned him threateningly "Do not come any closer!"

"Or what?" Bellerophon snapped crossly.

"I'll bite on this," she calmly responded, holding up the capsule.

"Consuming a medicine tablet is not a very compelling incentive to get us to back off," Noble Edict observed brazenly.

"This is not a medicine tablet," the hooded mare explained, "This capsule is full of a very rare but very deadly type of poison. All of my group's weapons are laced with this poison. When Dense Miasma stabbed Mr. Sauer, he infected him with it. As you can see, it's already taken effect. If left untreated, he'll be dead within an hour. However, the poison is only slow-working if it's delivered into the bloodstream. If ingested, it can kill the user instantaneously."

"Why would do you think we'd care if you commit suicide?" Noble Edict queried, "We already have a bit of your blood."

"True, but my blood can only open that sphere if I'm alive," the mare reminded them, "A dead person's blood has no effect on it. So basically, if I kick the bucket, you lose your key."

"You'd take your own life just to prevent us from releasing our leader?" Bellerophon assumed in astonishment.

"Yes, I would," the mare candidly replied, "You're not the only ones who are willing to die for their cause."

There was a long, tense interval of quietness. The only audible noise was the humming sound produced by the energy sphere. Finally, Noble Edict queried grumpily "So… where do we go from here?"

"Well, we could just stand here and wait for each other to let their guard down," the hooded mare proposed, "However, if we did that, Mr. Sauer will ultimately expire. I said he would succumb to the poison in an hour. He may not even have that long. So we need a faster, more practical resolution."

"What do you propose?" Bellerophon demanded.

The hooded mare looked around at him and Noble Edict. Then she told them "I will allow you to get Mr. Sauer medical attention, but under one condition. One of you will place your own blood into the basin. I do not care which, but one of you will do it. If you refuse, you will watch Mr. Sauer die. If you try leaving this place before giving your blood, I will swallow this pill. If you move in any direction other than towards the sphere, same bad result."

Bellerophon and Noble Edict were at a loss for what to do. They had sworn to be faithful to Equestria and its leaders, and they knew that SIG Sauer would rather die than condemn Celestia to eternal imprisonment. However, if they were responsible for his death, they did not believe they would be able to forgive themselves. Not many others knew this, but in the past, both Bellerophon and Noble Edict had been culpable for the loss of other people they cared about. Neither of them wanted to live with more of that guilt.

Fortunately for them, they did not have to make a choice. SIG made it for them. Although he was weakened, the pine green Unicorn managed to lift himself up a bit and fire a disarming spell at the hooded mare. The poison capsule flew out of her hoof and landed in some tall grass.

The mysterious mare was surprised by this action, but she hurried over to the tall grass and rapidly searched it for the capsule.

"Noble, stop her," SIG Sauer ordered the red Earth Pony. Noble Edict nodded her head, galloped over to the mare, and pounced onto her. She struggled to pull the hooded mare out of the tall grass, but the latter proved to be quite stubborn.

SIG Sauer picked up his knife, held it up to the palomino Pegasus, and weakly told him "Bellerophon, it's up to you now."

After Bellerophon took the knife, SIG Sauer collapsed onto his stomach. The tall stallion promptly approached the front of the energy sphere, held the knife over the bowl, and inspected it. The blood had begun to set in place, but it had not yet dried. Bellerophon shook the knife over the bowl, hoping that the combined efforts of gravity and his own force would be enough to get the blood off it.

By this point, the hooded mare had managed to push away Noble Edict and locate her pill in the tall grass. She hastily brought it up to her mouth and slid it between her lips. Just as she bit down on the poison capsule, Bellerophon managed to dispense a few drops of her blood into the basin.

…

After Twilight Sparkle and Bronze Star vanished from the throne room, they reappeared in another part of the fortress a few seconds later. When they regained their composure, they looked around and discovered that they had materialized inside a tower. While they were no longer with the five mares from Ponyville, they were still not alone.

Nightmare Moon was standing on a platform at the far end of the tower. The Elements of Harmony were spinning around her body, and bolts of lightning crashed all around her. As the Elements dropped to the ground, she let out an evil laugh, as she believed she had triumphed over the two young ponies. However, they would not make it that simple for her.

Twilight Sparkle grunted and brushed her hoof against the ground. Bronze Star could tell what she was planning, and he had gotten the same idea. So he emulated her behavior.

Nightmare Moon was unimpressed by the implication of their actions. She remarked in utter disbelief "You're kidding. You're kidding, right?"

They were not. Together, Twilight and Bronze charged towards Nightmare Moon. In response, the black Alicorn jumped off the platform and raced towards the two young adults. As the distance between them got smaller, Bronze Star whispered to Twilight Sparkle "You go for the Elements. I'll hold her off."

The lavender mare acknowledged this and continued running alongside the gold stallion. As they got closer to Nightmare Moon, she tilted her head forward and her horn started glowing. Then there was a bright flash of light which stunned Nightmare Moon. When it subsided, Bronze Star was upon her and Twilight Sparkle had disappeared from her sight.

However, she had not disappeared altogether. She had teleported to the platform with the Elements. She gazed down at the orbs, and lowered her head towards them. She focused all her attention on them and concentrated all her efforts on making a spark. When her horn produced nothing, she groaned and mumbled "Just one spark."

While she was busy with this, Bronze Star bought her some time by diverting Nightmare Moon. The young prince did not have time to pull a weapon from his belt, so he had to resort to using nothing more than his own hooves to fight her.

The confrontation did not go favorably for Bronze Star; the black Alicorn was at least fifty percent bigger than him, and her fighting style was much more forceful. Bronze Star was not concerned that she would overpower him. All he worried about was keeping Nightmare Moon preoccupied long enough for Twilight to find the last Element.

"Come on, _come on_," Twilight muttered agitatedly. Her horn was emitting its usual luminescent glow, but nothing resembling a spark had appeared yet.

Further down the room, Nightmare Moon was winning the struggle with Bronze Star. At one point, she picked him up by his legs, lifted him into the air, and flung him off to the side. The gold stallion landed hard against the wall. His entire body was left in aches, but his head and back got the worst of it. As he slid to the ground, Bronze Star felt really glad that he did not have his horn or wings at this time. Otherwise the impact would have been **much** more painful.

While Bronze Star was out of commission, Nightmare Moon turned her attention to Twilight Sparkle. She quickly noticed what the young Unicorn was up to, and she aimed to stop her. The black Alicorn shifted into a cloud of dark blue smoke and sped towards the other end of the tower.

Just before she reached Twilight Sparkle, a single spark emanated from the lavender mare's horn. Immediately after, Nightmare Moon materialized in the center of the orbs. The suddenness of her appearance startled Twilight, and she was thrown backwards off the platform.

By now, Bronze Star had composed himself and gotten to his feet. He quickly trotted over to his friend and helped her up. When the two of them turned back to the platform, they noticed that a type of electric wave was spreading through the Elements of Harmony and levitating them off the ground. It was as if they were reacting to the spark. Nightmare Moon looked down at them and cried out in fright "No… no!"

Bronze Star and Twilight Sparkle smiled in relief, but their respite was short-lived. A mere five seconds after it appeared, the electric wave evaporated and the Elements dropped back to the ground.

Twilight gasped and said in mystification "But… where's the sixth Element?!"

Nightmare Moon only responded with another wicked chuckle. Then she reared back on her hind legs and slammed her front hooves against the platform. In response, all five of the orbs shattered into pieces.

"No…" Bronze Star whispered under his breath.

Nightmare Moon gazed down at the two young ponies and stated mockingly "You little foals! Thinking you could defeat _me_? Now you will never see your princess, or your Sun! The _night _will last _forever_!"

Then she broke into another maniacal round of laughter.

Needless to say, the other two ponies did not reciprocate her actions. Twilight Sparkle was downright distraught. Bronze Star was as well, but he was also a bit confused. He thought_ Did she really just imply that Twilight and I have a son? How is that possible when she and I have never even… _Then he realized Nightmare Moon was referring to Sun as in day, not as in male offspring. He rebuked himself for being so misleading, and for thinking about such an extraneous thing at a totally inappropriate time.

Before Twilight and Bronze could accept defeat, they heard five voices from behind. They turned around and spotted a staircase on the wall opposite the platform. As the voices got nearer, five shadows were expanding along the wall next to the staircase. Bronze Star and Twilight Sparkle quickly realized the shadows and voices belonged to Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity.

"Don't worry, Twilight, we're here!" Pinkie Pie called out.

"Don't worry, Gold, we'll be there!" Applejack shouted.

Despite the apparent hopelessness of their situation, Twilight and Bronze were touched by their companions' profound concern for their well-being. Their presence brought the two of them some comfort. In addition to that, ever since they had arrived at the border of the Forest, the five mares had been watching out for them and each other. They had provided reassurance, empathy, cheerfulness, philanthropy, and dependability from the beginning.

Twilight remembered the role each one of the five mares had played, and she realized there was a correlation. When she put all the events of the past few hours together, she gasped in amazement. Bronze Star then noticed a spark in her eye.

Twilight grinned, turned back to Nightmare Moon, and remarked "You think you can destroy the Elements of Harmony just like that? Well, you're wrong, because the spirits of the Elements of Harmony are right _here_."

By now, Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash had gathered behind Bronze Star and Twilight Sparkle. They spread out so that Nightmare Moon could see them all at once. The shards of the broken orbs at Nightmare Moon's feet started levitating off the platform. The black Alicorn noticed this and muttered in shock "What?"

Twilight Sparkle then announced "_Applejack_, who reassured me when I was in doubt, represents the spirit of... _honesty_!"

The shards from one of the orbs sailed towards the orange mare and circled around her.

Twilight went on with "_Fluttershy_, who tamed the manticore with her compassion, represents the spirit of... _kindness_!"

A cluster of shards from another orb glided towards the yellow mare and rotated around her.

Twilight continued with "_Pinkie Pie_, who banished fear by giggling in the face of danger, represents the spirit of... _laughter_!"

Another orb's worth of shards floated towards the pink mare and orbited around her.

Twilight proclaimed "_Rarity_, who calmed a sorrowful serpent with a meaningful gift represents the spirit of... _generosity_!"

Yet another bunch of shards from a fourth orb soared towards the grey mare and revolved around her.

Twilight wrapped up with "And Rainbow Dash, who could not abandon her friends for her own heart's desire represents the spirit of... _loyalty_!"

The shared of the last orb drifted towards the cyan mare and whirled around her.

Bronze Star sneered smugly as Twilight Sparkle jubilantly declared to their foe "The spirits of these five ponies got us through every challenge you threw at us."

By now, the fear was evident in Nightmare Moon's eyes. She desperately proclaimed "You still don't have the sixth Element! The spark didn't work!"

"But it did!" Twilight Sparkle correct her, "A different kind of spark."

The lavender mare turned to the five other mares and explained "I felt it the very moment I realized how happy I was to hear you, to see you, how much I cared about you. The spark ignited inside _me_ when I realized that you all... are _my friends_!"

After she made this statement, a bright ball of light appeared near the top of the steeple. Bronze Star and the six mares watched as it slowly descended to the ground. Nightmare Moon had to look away, it was so radiant. Soon the light dimmed, revealing a sixth orb. When it was about a meter above Twilight's head, she stated "You see, Nightmare Moon, when those Elements are ignited by the... the _spark_, that resides in the heart of us all, it creates the sixth element: the element of... _magic_!"

Twilight and the other five mares were then lifted into the air by an unseen force. Bronze Star watched in awe at the event that unfolded next. The stone shards that were spinning around the five mares from Ponyville each turned a different color. Fluttershy's were pink, Pinkie Pie's were blue, Rainbow Dash's were red, Applejack's were orange, and Rarity's were purple. After changing their hue, the shards gathered around the respective mares' necks and transfigured into gold necklaces. The sixth stone orb shifted into a gold tiara and rested on top of Twilight Sparkle's head. Now all six Elements of Harmony were present and ready for use.

However, before the Elements of Harmony could be activated, there was a brief interval when the mares were left exposed and vulnerable to an attack. Because of this, Nightmare Moon had a short window of opportunity to strike at them first. She chose to take advantage of this chance.

She aimed her horn at the center of the room and a yellowish-white aura appeared at the tip of it. Nightmare Moon was conjuring a notorious incineration charm. It was the deadliest spell she knew. When released at full force, it burned its target at 500 degrees Kelvin. Nopony had been known to survive direct physical contact with the spell for even a fraction of a millisecond. The spell was so disastrous that its use had been outlawed eons ago. In fact, anypony outside of the Canterlot Royalty was forbidden from even learning it.

Nevertheless, every member of the Canterlot Royalty was familiar with this spell. Although Bronze Star's mother had never allowed him to perform the spell or acquire the knowledge to perform it, she had taught him many aspects about the spell, including how to recognize when somepony was about to use it.

When Bronze Star spotted the yellowish-white aura on Nightmare Moon's horn, he immediately knew what she was planning. She was going to use the incineration spell in an attempt to burn the mares to death.

Based on what he knew of the spell, the caster required a total of fifteen seconds to fully charge it. He had that long to find a solution.

There was no way to counter the spell. A hundred fierce blizzards could not cancel out its sweltering heat. There were no known charms, potions, or incantations that could protect anypony from the spell.

He considered taking out the source, but Nightmare Moon did not seem to be paying any attention to Bronze Star. She was too far away for him to engage her in combat again. Even if he sprinted towards her right now, by the time he reached her, it would be too late. She would have fired the spell.

Twilight and the others were immobile and unresponsive at present; they had no chance of moving themselves out of harm's way. Bronze Star thought about moving them on his own, but they were levitating too high above his head. Plus, even if he had wings or a horn, he doubted that fifteen seconds would have been enough time to move just one or two of them.

Bronze Star concluded that there was only way he could prevent the spell from reaching the mares. It would have to hit something else first. He frantically looked around the room for something he could throw between the mares and Nightmare Moon, but there were very few portable objects in the room. None of them were large enough to stop the spell.

Except one.

Upon coming to this realization, Bronze Star knew what needed to be done.

Just as Nightmare Moon launched the spell, Bronze Star closed his eyes and dove in front of the mares.

The stream struck his entire body at full force, but he managed to shield his friends from its devastating effects. The six mares watched as the gold stallion was engulfed in the flames. They were still incapable of mobility or speech, but if they could move their lips, they would have screamed.

Nightmare Moon was aggravated that she did not hit Twilight Sparkle or any of the other mares, but she did feel some satisfaction in thinking that if she went down, she would at least take one of their allies with her.

Bronze Star expected to be immersed in overwhelming pain. After all, after just a few seconds, the flames should have cremated his clothes, melted his muscles, boiled his blood, singed off his hair, and seared his flesh clean off his bones. Strangely enough, none of these things happened. Something very different and completely unforeseen happened instead.

Ten seconds after he was struck, Bronze Star was surrounded by another large white light. This one glowed brighter than the Sun itself, and it appeared to be absorbing Nightmare Moon's spell. If one looked closely, they could see that Bronze Star was totally unharmed from the flames. He was not even sweating.

Inside the ball of white light, an even brighter light flashed near Bronze Star's neck. It lingered there for a moment, and then it slowly expanded along his back. As it spread out, the brighter light seemed to leave something in its path. Sure enough, an actual object was materializing along Bronze Star's back. Despite being unable to see or move, the gold stallion was able to detect its presence. He felt as though a loose article of clothing was being fastened around his throat and growing past his shoulders.

When the brighter light reached the tip of Bronze Star's tail, it faded away. Bronze Star slowly opened up his eyes. Every part of his eyeballs – the irises, the retinas, and the sclera – was now glowing brightly. Bronze Star gradually raised his front hooves into the air, and then he swung them forwards. The ball of white light dissolved, and the incineration spell rebounded, causing it to snuff itself out.

After the fires were extinguished, the mares made their move. Their eyes started glowing like Bronze Star's, and each one of them expelled a different stream of color from the gems on their jewelry. The six streams then formed a rainbow and spiraled into the air. When it approached the ceiling, the rainbow bolted towards Nightmare Moon. The dark Alicorn shouted in terror "Nooo!"

The rainbow touched the front of the platform and encircled itself around Nightmare Moon. She desperately tried to escape, but she was already trapped. She screamed "Nooo!" again as the rainbow completely enveloped her.

The six mares could feel the full power of the Elements of Harmony surging through their bodies. They levitated through the air and allowed the power to guide their actions. When Twilight opened her eyes, one last white light shined through the room, and then there was absolute silence.

When the light subsided, all seven of the young ponies were lying across the ground. None of them was hurt, but they were all slightly disoriented.

Bronze Star rubbed his eyes, rose to his feet, and turned to the mares. One-by-one, they pulled themselves up off the ground as well.

"Ugh, my head," Rainbow Dash moaned.

"Everypony okay?" queried Applejack.

"Oh, thank goodness!" Rarity exclaimed in elation.

Bronze Star turned in her direction and saw that her tail had miraculously grown back. She shook her plot a few times to get reacquainted with it. Fluttershy approached her and stated merrily "Why Rarity, it's so lovely."

"I know!" Rarity remarked in happiness, "I'll never part with it again."

"No, your necklace," the quiet Pegasus clarified, pointing to Rarity's neck, "It looks just like your cutie mark."

"What?" Rarity was perplexed, but then she noticed the necklace around her neck. She also noticed she was not the only pony wearing one. She told her friend "Ooh. So does yours."

Fluttershy looked down and gasped in pleasant surprise.

Pinkie Pie bounced towards the others and called out "Look at mine! Look at mine!"

"Aw, _yeah_," Rainbow Dash commented proudly.

Bronze Star just smirked in amusement and declared "I must admit; you mares look rather elegant in those necklaces. And tiara, in Twilight's case."

"Gee, thanks!" Pinkie Pie responded, "I like your new look, too."

"Huh?" Bronze Star said in confusion as he stood up a little straighter. As his body shifted position, he thought he could feel something on his back.

He gazed over his shoulder and discovered that he was wearing a long, flowing cape. The exterior was a cross between light tan and yellow, and the interior was a greyish-black. Its lining was white as bone, and the collar was fastened around Bronze Star's throat with a platinum brooch.

Bronze Star knew what he was wearing. Several hours ago, he had seen a picture of it when he helped Twilight Sparkle with her research. It was the Shroud of Valor.

He was amazed to discover that he was clad in this legendary artifact. However, his amazement was replaced by bewilderment when he noticed a rather large lump in the Shroud. It was as though there was a mass between the garment and his back. Curious as to what it could be, Bronze Star slid the cloak off to one side.

When he realized what the mass was, Bronze Star was vastly surprised. As he wondered how this could have happened, he rubbed his right front hoof against the center of his forehead. It was then that he discovered that this region of his body was no longer bare either.

Rarity's tail wasn't the only thing that had grown back. Somehow, the illusion spell on Bronze Star's horn and wings had been removed. They were now visible to everypony in the area. Bronze Star would have considered concealing his horn and wings again, but Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and Rainbow Dash had already gotten a clear view of them. Now they were staring at him in profound astonishment.


	12. Reunification

**Note: I apologize for taking over a week to update. I've been busy ever since I got back from Paris. I also went to this Brony Meetup in Arkansas with three of my friends on Saturday. It took five hours to get there by car, and I was the one driving. But the drive was very much worth it. Hope to do it again soon. Hope this long chapter can atone for my absence!**

Bronze Star nervously looked around at the five stunned mares. Each one of them was gazing at him inquisitively. More specifically, they were staring at his wings and horn. Of course, he could hardly blame them. If he saw somepony sprout new appendages, he probably would have been shocked as well.

After an awkward period of silence, he glanced off to the side, rubbed the back of his head, and conjectured "I guess I have some explaining to do."

"Quite so," Applejack bluntly agreed.

Bronze Star thought about making something up, but he was not certain that the mares would actually believe him. He turned to Twilight Sparkle for help. Seeing the desperation in his eyes, she merely sighed and suggested "I suppose we should just tell them the truth, Bronze."

"'Bronze?'" said Rainbow in perplexity, "Did she just call you 'Bronze?'"

"I thought you told us your name was-" Fluttershy began.

"Yes, that was what I **told** you," the gold stallion interrupted her, "But some of the things I said at our first meeting aren't entirely true. However, Twilight is right; it would be wrong of me to continue keeping the facts from all of you. After everything the seven of us have been through together in the past few hours, you deserve to know the truth."

The five mares stepped closer to Bronze Star and listened intently. He tentatively contemplated how to start his explanation, and ultimately, he began with "Firstly, I think a proper introduction is in order. As you have probably already surmised, my name isn't Gold Streak. It's Bronze Star."

Applejack, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie gave a collective gasp at this. In response, Bronze Star scoffed and bluntly stated "Apparently, you've heard of me."

"Of course we have, darling!" Rarity enthusiastically remarked, "You're a member of the Canterlot Royalty!"

"Not only that; you're Princess Celestia's son!" Pinkie Pie jubilantly exclaimed.

"Yes, that's correct," Bronze Star candidly admitted. He was trying to sound as though the matter of his true identity was no big deal, but the mares were not bothering to contain their excitement.

"Well, I'll be darned," Applejack remarked in amusement, "All this time, we've had a prince in our company, and none of us ever suspected it."

"I take it this is your actual appearance?" Rarity presumed, gesturing to Bronze Star's form.

"Yes, I've had these wings and this horn since the day I was born," Bronze Star apprised them.

"This explains the holes in your jacket," Fluttershy recalled.

"And the one in your mask," Rainbow Dash added in.

"But it doesn't explain why you hid them," Pinkie Pie pointed out.

"That was his decision," Twilight Sparkle enlightened the mares, "This happened when Princess Celestia appointed him and me to the Summer Sun Celebration's inspection committee. Bronze was concerned that if he went to Ponyville like this, his presence would be too distracting, and that it would impede the townsfolk from completing the preparations. However, he still really wanted to come, so Bellerophon came up with a solution that would allow him to blend in without drawing attention from the locals."

"So, what exactly did you do?" Rainbow Dash inquired in interest.

"We used an illusion spell," Bronze Star replied, "One that doesn't just cover the targets. It also renders them incapable of being detected through physical contact. For almost all of the past twenty-four hours, I haven't even been able to feel my wings or my horn."

"Why do you suppose they're visible now?" queried Fluttershy.

"The Elements of Harmony must have neutralized the spell," Twilight Sparkle hypothesized.

"That would make perfect sense," Bronze Star acknowledged. Inwardly, he had a more unpleasant but still plausible theory. His mother was the one who cast the spell. He had read somewhere that many spells wear off when serious harm is inflicted onto their caster. He wondered if it was possible that something happened to his mother; something very grim and horrible.

He decided not to share this idea with the mares. They had already been through a tremendous ordeal, but at the end of it, they had triumphed over a supposedly invulnerable enemy. He did not want to spoil their good mood by generating more anxiety.

Pinkie Pie asked curiously "So, what's with the cape?"

Bronze Star informed her and the others "Earlier on, shortly after we entered the Everfree Forest, you may recall that Twilight and I described an artifact known as the Shroud of Valor. This is it. However, as to why I'm wearing it, I have no idea."

"Oh, I think you **do**, Bronze," Twilight Sparkle declared, "And even if you don't, I certainly have one."

"What do you mean, Twilight?" asked Bronze Star.

"Nightmare Moon tried to attack us, but you threw yourself in front of us before she could," the lavender mare in the tiara reminded him, "I'm certain you know as well as I do that she tried to use an incineration spell on us. You must have known there was only way that stepping in could have ended for you. Yet you decided to go ahead and intervene."

"Well, I had to choose between the six of you and myself," Bronze Star pointed out, "It was an easy choice."

All of the mares – including Twilight – were flabbergasted when they heard this, but in a good way.

"You were willing to give your life to save ours?" Applejack assumed.

"Even though you've known us for less than a day?" Rainbow Dash supplemented.

"Yes, I was," Bronze Star affirmed, "I couldn't just stand by and do nothing. Nightmare Moon would have killed you. So I did what I had to do to prevent that."

"That's so sweet," Fluttershy softly uttered.

"You're… so amazing," Rainbow Dash muttered, containing her awe.

"I never thought I'd be in somepony's debt," Rarity observed, "Now we're all in the debt of a prince!"

"Don't know how we could ever thank ya, sugar cube," Applejack stated happily.

"We can start by saying 'thanks,'" Pinkie Pie proposed. She turned to the gold stallion and remarked, "Still, that must have been really scary, putting yourself in harm's way like that."

"I was somewhat hesitant," Bronze Star disclosed, "But I managed to cast aside my fear."

"That's why you're wearing the Shroud of Valor," Twilight Sparkle pronounced. She looked around at the others and explicated "It is written that only an act of selfless, benevolent, indisputable fortitude can summon the Shroud of Valor. Bronze Star has done plenty of valiant things since this fiasco began. He confronted Nightmare Moon when nopony else would. He defeated that ogre single-hoofedly. He sent Bellerophon to aid whoever generated the distress beacon. However, what he did just now was probably the most courageous act that anypony has done in a long time. By risking his life on the spot like that to save the rest of us, he practically became the embodiment of bravery. That was enough to bring forth the Shroud of Valor."

"That does make sense," stated Rainbow Dash, "But I'm still a little confused. How exactly did the Shroud of Valor keep us safe?"

Bronze Star answered this question: "In ancient times, the Shroud of Valor had a variety of different functions. Its most popular form was a type of mystical shield. While the Elements of Harmony may be powerful beyond comprehension, they are not imperishable. For that reason, somepony decided that it would be appropriate to pair the Elements of Harmony with the Shroud of Valor. That way, the Shroud could protect the wielders of the Elements from even the most extreme dangers. Just as it did today."

The five mares from Ponyville were deeply fascinated by this knowledge. Each of them gazed down at her respective necklace with a look of amazement.

Applejack turned to the mare in the tiara and told her "Gee, Twilight! I thought you were just spoutin' a lot of hooey, but I reckon we really do represent the elements of friendship."

"Indeed you do," came a strong, majestic voice from the right side of the chamber.

Bronze Star and the six mares turned in the direction of the voice. At first, that part of the tower seemed to be deserted, as nopony was there. Then the group was met with a wonderful sight.

Through the windows, they could see a bright yellow light climbing up the horizon. It quickly expunged the surrounding darkness as it ascended. The Sun was rising in the distance. That provided a huge amount of relief to the mares, but the presence of the Sun was not what pleased Bronze Star the most. He realized that since the Sun had returned, that could only mean that a certain somepony had as well. A moment later, his notion was validated.

When the Sun reached its peak in the sky, another white light flashed through the tower. When the light faded, Princess Celestia appeared in its place. She stood before the seven young ponies and smiled down at them.

Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, and Fluttershy all bowed to her in reverence. Bronze Star and Twilight Sparkle remained standing, but they were overcome with joy.

"Princess Celestia," the lavender mare gasped.

She eagerly trotted over to the white Alicorn, but Bronze Star reached her first. He stated in elation "Mother! I… I was so worried about you. I'm so happy you're alright!"

Princess Celestia smiled down at him and said "I'm happy to see you're safe as well, Bronze Star. And I'm so proud of you. You've done a marvelous job of performing your royal duties."

Although he was still very enthusiastic, Bronze Star became a little perplexed by this statement. He asked his mother "What do you mean?"

"In my absence, you saw the town of Ponyville through this crisis," Celestia elucidated, "You never lost sight of your goals, you led these mares through the Everfree Forest, you overcame Nightmare Moon's efforts to stop you, and – as the garment you're wearing indicates – you demonstrated incontestable courage in all that time. You represent everything a true leader of Equestria should represent. I am honored to call you my son."

Bronze Star felt a tear of happiness and pride come to his eye. He threw his front legs around the Alicorn, hugged her tightly, and told her "I love you, Mother."

Celestia closed her eyes, returned the embrace, and told her son warmly "And I love you, my dear Prince."

The five mares in necklaces all went "Awwwwww…"

When Bronze Star pulled apart from his mother, the mare in the tiara stepped forward and had her turn to embrace the large mare. Celestia continued to smile and announced "Twilight Sparkle, my faithful student. I knew you could do it. "

Although she did not refer to it directly, Twilight knew she was referring to the discovery of the Elements. She muttered in surprise "But... you told me it was all an old pony tale."

Princess Celestia calmly reminded her "I told you that you needed to make some friends, nothing more. I saw the signs of Nightmare Moon's return and I knew it was you who had the magic inside to defeat her, but you could not unleash it until you let true friendship into your heart."

Bronze Star and Twilight Sparkle were intrigued by this. Celestia had forecasted this. She had not sent them to Ponyville just to oversee the Summer Sun Celebration. Her real motivation for doing that was much greater. In her own way, she had enabled them to acquire the Elements of Harmony and the Shroud of Valor and use them to stop Nightmare Moon.

Celestia turned to the front of the tower and added in "Now if only another will as well. Princess Luna!"

Bronze Star and the six mares looked in the same direction. In all this time, they had not noticed that they were not alone. Although Nightmare Moon was gone, a slightly smaller Alicorn was lying at the base of the platform. She was surrounded by a small cloud of black smoke which was rapidly dissipating. She had a cobalt-type coat, an indigo-type mane, and light blue eyes. She was wearing two pairs of dark blue slippers, a black vest with a crescent moon on it, and a black tiara. Her cutie mark was a crescent moon surrounded by a patch of black. Bronze Star thought she looked strangely familiar. He tried to think where he had seen her before.

When she was addressed by name, the blue mare looked up and gasped in surprise. Princess Celestia gradually approached her and stated in her usual authoritative tone "It has been a thousand years since I have seen you like this. Time to put our differences behind us. We were meant to rule together, little sister."

"_Sister_?" everypony else repeated in unison. Bronze Star then remembered where he saw the blue Alicorn before. Back in the throne room of Canterlot Castle, she had been in several of the stained-glass windows. Whenever she appeared in one, she had almost always been alongside Celestia. Bronze Star had always wondered who she was, but nopony ever told him, not even his mother. Now he understood why.

Celestia crouched down next to Princess Luna and asked her "Will you accept my friendship?"

There was a tense interval of silence as the white Alicorn waited for an answer. Bronze Star and the six mares leaned forward in interest, and Pinkie Pie leaned so far forward that she tripped. She fell onto her chest and said "Whoa!"

Luna gazed down at the ground for a short while. Then she rose to her feet, stood against the larger mare, and exclaimed "I'm so sorry! I missed you so much, big sister!"

She nuzzled against the white mare as tears started flowing from her eyes. Celestia's eyes quickly became wet as well. She sniffed once and said in response "I've missed you, too."

Bronze Star and the mares were touched by this display of affection. Pinkie Pie pulled a handkerchief out of nowhere and used it to blow her nose. Then she sobbed hysterically for about four seconds. Immediately after, she brightened up and announced "Hey, you know what this calls for?"

The other eight ponies turned to her, expecting her to continue. However, all they got was silence.

"What, Pinkie?" inquired Rainbow Dash.

"I'll tell you when we get back to Ponyville," the pink mare responded lightheartedly.

"That may be for the best," Twilight Sparkle remarked, "Although the Sun is back in the sky, Ponyville still needs to know that Princess Celestia is safe."

"Twilight's right," Bronze Star coincided, "We should get back to the town as soon as possible. But first, we should probably find Bellerophon."

Celestia turned to her son and queried "Why do you say that?"

"Less than an hour ago, we spotted a distress beacon," Bronze Star explained, "I sent Bellerophon to answer it, and he hasn't come back yet. I want to ascertain that he's alright."

"Oh, he's fine, Bronze Star," Celestia assured the gold stallion.

"How do you know that, Mother?" Bronze Star asked her.

Before the white Alicorn could respond, Princess Luna raised an eyebrow and muttered in interest "'Mother?'"

Although Luna had been present during Bronze Star's reunion with his mother, the blue Alicorn had not heard anything that had been said in the tower until her sister addressed her by name. She had noticed that Bronze Star was an Alicorn, but she had not considered the possibility that they were related.

Celestia gestured for her son to come forward. He complied and trotted towards the two mares. When he reached them, Celestia formally introduced her son and her sister to each other. "Luna, this is your nephew, Bronze Star. Bronze, this is your aunt, Princess Luna."

At first, Bronze Star and Luna merely gazed at each other, unsure of what to say. Then Bronze Star smiled and extended his right front hoof. Luna tentatively took his hoof in hers, and he shook it firmly. She slowly smiled in return and stated calmly "I don't know what to say… except thank you. Thank you for saving me from my own madness."

"There is no need to thank me," Bronze Star informed her. He gazed over his shoulder and stated "There mares are the ones who truly deserve your thanks. Still, I am delighted to meet you, Princess. I hope we'll have time to get better acquainted later on. But first, there is something else we need to discuss."

Bronze Star turned back to Celestia and enquired "How do you know Bellerophon is fine, Mother?"

"Essentially, it was because of him that I am here," Celestia expounded, "Do you by any chance know a mare named Noble Edict?"

"She's Ponyville's chief of security," Bronze Star replied.

"Did Noble Edict tell you about a cloud of energy she found in the Everfree Forest?" asked Celestia.

"Yes, she said it appeared out of nowhere a few days ago," the gold stallion recalled.

"I was being held prisoner inside that energy cloud," Celestia apprised him, "It was Bellerophon who made possible my release, along with Noble Edict and SIG Sauer."

"Noble and SIG were there, too?" Bronze Star noted.

"SIG Sauer was the one who launched the distress beacon," Celestia informed him, "Noble Edict and Bellerophon arrived shortly after. Together, the three of them managed to liberate me from the energy cloud."

"Well, bless them for that," Princess Luna commented.

Celestia lightly scoffed at this. Then she finished her explanation with "Once I was free, I did not linger for long. However, from what I could tell, Bellerophon was unharmed. As was Noble Edict."

"What about SIG Sauer?" Bronze Star inquired.

Celestia did not respond straightaway. Instead, she gazed off to the side, as if she was worried about how her answer would affect her son. This silence was enough to tell Bronze Star that something was wrong. He stepped forward and asked ruggedly "What happened?"

Celestia sighed and explained to her son "SIG Sauer was assaulted when he went to investigate the energy cloud. I do not know who his attackers were, but they wanted him dead. Although he managed to hold them off, one of them stabbed him in the chest."

"Is he…?" Bronze Star began anxiously.

"As far as I know, he is still alive" Celestia guaranteed the gold stallion, "However, when I left the site, he was quite weak and barely conscious. I ordered Bellerophon and Noble Edict to take SIG Sauer back to Ponyville so he could receive medical treatment."

Bronze Star took in everything his mother said. He looked around at the mares and declared "We have to get back to Ponyville **now**."

He started trotting over to the staircase on the other side of the tower. Before he was halfway there, Twilight Sparkle stopped him and said "Bronze, aren't you forgetting something?"

"What?" he asked in bewilderment.

"Your wings and horn are still visible," the lavender mare pointed out.

"So?" Bronze Star remarked a bit sarcastically.

"Don't you think the citizens of Ponyville will be a little… surprised to see that their ambassador has grown some new appendages?" Twilight Sparkle conjectured.

The male Alicorn realized she was right. Although Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash now knew who he really was, the rest of Ponyville was still oblivious to his true identity. He wanted to keep it that way, but that would not be possible if he showed up in Ponyville with his current guise. Before he went anywhere, he had to do something about that.

Bronze Star turned back to Celestia and asked her "Mother, do you suppose you could cast that illusion spell again?"

"I could, but not right now," the white mare replied, "A spell of that magnitude can only be performed once every twenty-four hours. I used it shortly before noon yesterday, and it's not even ten o'clock yet. It'll be at least two hours before I can cast the spell again."

"Okay," Bronze Star acknowledged. He let out a deep sigh and thought aloud "Looks like I'll need an alternative. How else can I keep my wings and horn hidden until twelve o'clock?"

"I might have half a solution," Twilight Sparkle proclaimed, "If you keep your wings folded and wear the Shroud of Valor over them, you may be able to let them go unnoticed."

"That sounds like a good idea," Bronze Star stated. He retracted his wings and pulled the Shroud of Valor over them. Then he adjusted the cloak so that the lump was unobtrusively concealed. After this, he pronounced "All I need now is something to cover my horn. Anypony got any ideas?"

Initially, nopony had anything to say. Then Applejack trotted over to the gold stallion, removed her Stetson, and held it out to him. She freely offered "You could borrow my hat, sugar cube."

Bronze Star was a little stunned by this proposal, but he was not resistant to it. He looked the orange pony in the eyes and asked her "You sure about that, Applejack?"

"Course I am," the farmer replied, "You just saved me and my friends from certain death. This is the very least I could do to thank you."

"Go ahead and take it," Rainbow Dash advised, "AJ doesn't part with her hat very often."

Bronze Star merely shrugged and accepted the Stetson. He placed it on his head so that it covered his forehead. Fortunately, it was tall enough to hide his horn. Once it was on properly, he asked the mares "How do I look?"

Rarity looked away and held her hoof over her eyes. She muttered in displeasure "I must say, that hat does **not **go with that exercise uniform or that cloak."

None of the others considered herself a fashion critic, so they had no complaints about Bronze Star's disguise.

"Now that that's settled, shall we travel to Ponyville?" Princess Luna proposed.

This was the third time somepony had made this suggestion. This time, nopony objected to it.

…

It had taken Bronze Star and the six mares more than three hours to find the Castle of the Two Sisters in the dark. In the light, they managed to get back to Ponyville with Princess Celestia and Princess Luna in under one hour.

When they arrived at the border of the Everfree Forest, Luna requested for the group to stop. She was hesitant about going any further because she was nervous about how the locals would react to her presence. In a way, she had the same problem as Bronze Star, but it was not her wings or horn that she was worried about showing in public. Instead, it was her face, but there was no way she could hide that.

Luna knew that there was no way she could avoid appearing in public, but whenever she did, she wanted to leave everypony with the right impression of her. She felt that just showing up so suddenly would not have been an ideal way to accomplish that goal.

Bronze Star suggested letting the Ponyvillians know in advance that Luna was coming, and that she was coming with Celestia. He proposed that he and the six younger mares feed this news to the town while the two princesses remained at the edge of the Forest. The eight mares all approved of this strategy, so they agreed to it.

Bronze Star, Applejack, Twilight Sparkle, Fluttershy, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and Rainbow Dash went back to Ponyville together. They thought about how they would break the news that Celestia was returning and that she was bringing her long-lost sister with her. They considered just spreading the word throughout the town, but they felt that this approach would be too time-consuming, even if they split up. So instead, they decided to gather everypony in one place, and once the entire town was present, Bronze Star would make an announcement.

When they entered the town, they immediately discovered that the overall mood was much livelier than it had been when they left. The townspeople were starting to come out of their homes, and the Royal Guard had loosened up their security grid. Noble Edict's officers were still patrolling some of the larger civic buildings. Bronze Star and the mares soon reached the center of the neighborhood and separated there. They each headed to a different part of the town and went door-to-door instructing the ponies in that area to assemble in the town square.

Bronze Star encountered Bellerophon near Town Hall. The palomino stallion was talking with the mayor, but when he noticed the gold stallion approaching him, he excused himself from their conversation and gave the prince his attention.

Both stallions were very busy, but they took a moment to fill each other in on certain events. Bellerophon informed Bronze Star that SIG Sauer had been rushed to Ponyville Hospital. Although he was no longer in any danger, Noble Edict had stayed with the pine green Unicorn. In turn, Bronze Star enlightened Bellerophon on how he and the six mares managed to locate all of the Elements of Harmony and use them to vanquish Nightmare Moon. He also explained the relevance of the Shroud of Valor.

When Bronze Star mentioned that Princess Celestia and Princess Luna were at the edge of the Everfree Forest waiting to enter the town, Bellerophon suggested sending out a chariot to carry them in. Bronze Star liked this idea. After all, Celestia and Luna were going to appear in public together for the first time in a millennium; they may as well make a grand entrance.

Bellerophon left Town Hall to find a chariot and two available members of the Royal Guard. Before he left the building, Bronze Star informed the mayor that he planned to make an announcement in the town square. Since most of the townsfolk were still unacquainted with him, he was hoping that she could formally introduce him to them. She gladly agreed to do so.

Twenty minutes later, Bronze Star met up with the six mares in the town square. He saw that the town square had been decorated with streamers, banners, balloons, and many other adornments. Evidently, Pinkie Pie had been multitasking. He also noticed that Twilight Sparkle had removed her tiara, and the other mares had removed their necklaces. They had done this because the townsfolk had been asking too many questions about the Elements. For now, they were keeping them in the library.

Bronze Star did not have this problem. Nopony seemed particular interested in the Shroud of Valor. The most he got from anypony was an occasional derisive comment about his attire. Truth be told, he was expecting those. A cowboy hat, a combat uniform, and an antique cloak could hardly constitute a matching set of clothes.

One of the mayor's aides had moved a podium to the middle of the town square. The mayor stepped up to it and cleared her throat. Then she broadcasted "My fellow Ponyvillians, the events of the past few hours have been extremely hectic on all of us. Nopony can deny that. However, there is no need to be afraid any longer. The worst is now behind us. The Sun is in the sky, and better yet, the mare responsible for that is very nearby. Here to provide more explicit details on this matter is Ponyville's temporary new ambassador, Gold Streak."

Mayor Mare turned to the gold stallion, held a hoof out to him, and stated "Mr. Ambassador, if you would…?"

Bronze Star nodded and took her place on the podium. He slowly gazed around at the massive crowd before him. With the exception of some of the hospital's staff and Noble Edict's security forces, the entire town was gathered there. He had given speeches in public before, but most of the time, the audience was a small platoon from the army, navy, or another branch of the military. He had never given a speech to a crowd of this magnitude. Plus, back in Canterlot, everypony knew who he was. Here, he was the stranger; only a hoofful of ponies had even met him.

Fortunately, he was used to crowds and new faces. In the long run, he hardly considered these to be complexities. After a few moments' silence, he began his speech with "Please forgive my apparel."

Most of the audience laughed at this opening statement. All of them had noticed Bronze Star's rather unusual appearance, and some were wondering why he was dressed that way. Although it was mostly irrelevant to the matter at hand, Bronze Star just wanted to clear the air before he got to the important part.

Once the laughter died down, Bronze Star continued with "I am pleased to see that you are all still capable of being amused. That's a sign that even amidst this terrible ordeal, you have all retained our hope. And in everyday life, hope is everything. Hope is what drives our ambitions. Hope is what motivates us to prosper. Hope is what sees us through the present. Hope… is why we are no longer in danger."

Bronze Star paused for a moment to allow these words to sink in. Then he continued with "As you know, less than six hours ago, Nightmare Moon appeared in this very town. She eloquently declared that she was hard-set on blotting out the Sun for eternity. As you can see, her plot failed. That is all because of ten very heroic ponies. My colleagues Bellerophon, SIG Sauer, and Twilight Sparkle and I teamed up with your own Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Noble Edict. Working together, we overpowered Nightmare Moon and ended her plot. Now the Sun has returned, and so has Princess Celestia. You'll be pleased to know that she will be here very soon."

At this last statement, many murmurs of excitement, relief, and happiness came from the crowd. Clearly, everypony was elated to hear this news.

After about twenty seconds, Bronze Star raised his front hoof for silence. Then he continued with "You should know that she is not coming alone. When Nightmare Moon was beaten, she did not simply disappear. Instead, she transformed back into Princess Luna, Celestia's sister. Luna has repented for her past actions, and she has renounced her lust for power. She is not to be a target of your fear and contempt any longer. When she enters the town, I would ask that you greet her the same way you would greet Celestia. Is that understood?"

There was a collective mutter of agreement throughout the audience. Some were a little hesitant, but they were willing to comply. Bronze Star smiled and wrapped up his speech with "Please remain where you are. I shall return shortly."

Then he stepped off the podium and trotted towards the Everfree Forest. The six mares accompanied him. So did a few of the other citizens, such as the grey blonde cross-eyed Pegasus Bronze Star saw at the Ponyville library. Despite Bronze Star's request, some of the other ponies were too eager to wait to see Celestia.

When they reached the edge of the Everfree Forest, the group found that Celestia and Luna were not alone. Bellerophon and two Royal Guards had arrived with a chariot, which the princesses were standing on. There was still room on the chariot for two normal-sized ponies, so the princesses invited Bronze Star and Twilight Sparkle to ride with them.

Before the Royal Guard started pulling the chariot towards the town, a thought flashed through Bronze Star's mind. He gazed down at Pinkie Pie and asked her "Hey, Pinkie, you remember earlier, when you said 'you know what this calls for?'"

"Yeah, I remember that," the pink mare replied.

"You told us you would give us the answer when we all returned to Ponyville," Bronze Star recalled, "So, what does this situation call for?"

Pinkie Pie gave a wide smile, galloped towards the town, and produced two bunches of confetti out of nowhere. She tossed the confetti into the air and yelled "_A party!_"

The sounds of jubilant music and cheering filled the air. Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, and the ponies who had joined them all trotted into town. Bellerophon and the Royal Guard followed close behind. Many of the town's pedestrians waved at the chariot's occupants as it passed by. Bronze Star and Twilight Sparkle waved in return, but the princesses remained motionless.

When the chariot reached the town square, it stopped. Everypony stamped their feet in praise and delight. Two small fillies took a necklace of flowers, flew up to Princess Luna, and placed the necklace around her neck. The blue Alicorn seemed a little perplexed, but she smiled in gratitude at the fillies. By this point, Spike had joined the crowd. When Bronze and Twilight stepped off the chariot, the baby dragon ran over to the lavender mare and hugged her tightly. Bronze Star smirked and patted Spike on the back.

Applejack, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie gathered behind the three of them. Then they all turned their attention to the chariot. Princess Celestia got off of it and approached the group. She was focusing on all of them, but her attention was primarily on her son and her apprentice.

Bronze Star was grinning as widely as anypony else there. However, Twilight Sparkle did not seem to share his joy. She was perhaps the only person in the entire crowd who was not smiling.

Princess Celestia inquired in concern "Why so glum, my faithful student? Are you not happy that your quest is complete and you can return to your studies in Canterlot?"

"That's just it," Twilight Sparkle responded. She gazed over her shoulder at the others and expounded, "Just when I learned how wonderful it is to have friends, I have to leave them."

Bronze Star understood what she meant, and so did Princess Celestia. Luckily, the tall white Alicorn was very wise; she soon thought up a solution for this dilemma. She said to the young dragon "Spike, take a note, please."

Twilight's assistant quickly took up a quill and parchment. He wrote down everything Celestia said: "_I, Princess Celestia, hereby decree that the unicorn Twilight Sparkle shall take on a new mission for Equestria. She must continue to study the magic of friendship. She must report to me her findings from her new home in Ponyville._"

A look of utter joy came across Twilight Sparkle's face. The other five mares gathered around her and cheered in happiness. The lavender mare told her mentor gratefully "Oh thank you, Princess Celestia! I'll study harder than ever before."

Princess Celestia merely nodded in acknowledgement. Then she turned to her son. He was gazing up at her hopefully, as if he was expecting her to say something else. As it turned out, she did. When Spike was ready, Celestia continued with "_And furthermore, let the record show that Gold Streak is to be recognized from this day forward as Canterlot's official ambassador to Ponyville. May he continue to represent the qualities of unity and leadership as he represents this marvelous town._"

Bronze Star smiled in appreciation as Spike finished the letter, rolled it up, and marked it with the royal seal. All around him, the surrounding ponies cheered. He gazed up at Celestia and stated in a formal tone "It will be my honor, Princess."

…

Although the wave of fear in Ponyville had lifted, there was still plenty of stress to go around. For instance, Ponyville Hospital had been reopened for less than an hour, and the staff already had a new patient. His name was SIG Sauer, and he was a government agent from Canterlot. Some of them had seen him earlier that morning at Town Hall, but outside of his name and occupation, they did not know anything about him. The town's chief of security Noble Edict and Princess Celestia's chief of staff Bellerophon had brought him in. Bellerophon had left shortly after this, but Noble Edict had stayed at the hospital.

At this time, a female Earth Pony with a white coat, a pink mane, blue eyes, a nurse's hat, and a red cross for a cutie mark was seated at the receptionist desk in the lobby. She was studying the contents of a clipboard in silence. Apart from the occasional security guard making his rounds, she had been alone for the past forty-five minutes.

At one point, she heard the front entrance open. The Earth Pony looked up, expecting to see one or two of her fellow Ponyvillians enter. Instead, four members of the Royal Guard stepped inside. The nurse watched as they split into pairs and stood on either side of the entrance. Then Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, Bronze Star, Twilight Sparkle, Bellerophon, Spike, and a few more of the Royal Guard passed into the room.

The white Earth Pony quickly rose to her feet out of respect. Princess Celestia calmly approached the desk and stated "Excuse me, Nurse…"

"Red Heart, Your Highness," the nurse replied, "I believe I speak for everypony in this building when I say that we are relieved to see you."

"Thank you, Nurse," the white Alicorn remarked, "But right now, it is not myself I am concerned for. We are here for one of your patients. I am certain you know which."

Nurse Red Heart nodded, picked up her clipboard, and stated "Come with me, please."

Celestia and her company followed Red Heart through the adjoining corridor. As they walked, she informed them "Mr. Sauer is in the Emergency Room. He's being prepared for surgery right now."

"Who will be performing the operation?" Bronze Star inquired.

"That would be Doctor Sharp Seams," Red Heart responded, "He's the surgeon on duty. If you have any questions about Mr. Sauer's condition, you should direct them to him."

"Where can we find him?" asked Celestia.

"Right here, Your Highness," said a voice from the intersecting hallway. Everypony turned and saw a male Earth Pony approaching them. He had a tan coat, a teal mane, orange eyes, and a scalpel for a cutie mark. He was dressed entirely in scrubs. He turned to the white Earth Pony and told her "I'll take it from here, Nurse."

Red Heart nodded and headed back to the lobby. The tan stallion led Celestia and the others to the Emergency Room. On the way, he apprised them "Mr. Sauer is looking at a minimum of seven hours in surgery. The damage inflicted by that knife was extensive. The blade pierced through a cluster of nerves in his midsection. There's also evidence of severely torn ligaments and internal bleeding. An X-ray revealed that at least one of his ribs was broken. We are hoping to begin operating as soon as possible."

"Couldn't you start now?" Bronze Star queried.

"If the stab wound was the only problem, we could," Sharp Seams informed him, "However, there's another, more serious complication we must account for. When Mr. Sauer was stabbed, a deadly poison was administered into his bloodstream. It's slowly eating away at the oxygen in his red blood cells. We've got him on life support for now, but we'll have to remove the poison soon. Otherwise he'll succumb to oxygen deprivation."

"So, what type of procedure do you have in mind?" Twilight Sparkle asked.

"Ideally, we'll have to fix both problems at once," Sharp Seams explicated, "We're going to patch up the open injury and extract the toxin from his bloodstream simultaneously."

"Sounds like a risky approach," Bronze Star remarked, "Can you give us any type of prognosis, Doctor? Any idea of what SIG's chances may be?"

Sharp Seams did not respond straightaway. They walked in silence for a while, but when they reached the door to the Emergency Room, the surgeon turned to the others and told them "Mr. Sauer's chances are not very promising. But I can assure you that my trauma team and I will do everything we can to save him. If you'll excuse me now, I need to speak to the anesthesiologist."

Doctor Seams opened the door to the Emergency Room and went inside. Although this area was restricted to medical personnel only, there was a window on the wall next to the ER's door. This allowed Princess Celestia and her companions to observe everything that happened inside. Half a dozen other physicians were there, all of them clad in scrubs as well. They were busy moving tools and equipment around an operating table. They were already ready to save a life. All they need now was a patient.

A few minutes later, they got one. Three more doctors wheeled in a bed. SIG Sauer was lying flat on his back on top of it. He was dressed in a hospital gown, and an oxygen mask was over his face. His eyes were shut and he lay totally motionless, but he was still conscious.

The three doctors who brought SIG Sauer into the room rolled him to the center of the room. Three of the other doctors helped them move the pine green stallion from the bed to the operating table. Once he was secure, Sharp Seams inserted an IV into SIG's left front hoof and told one of his colleagues "Alright, put him under."

This doctor – obviously the anesthesiologist – stepped up to the IV bag and used a syringe to administer the anesthesia. The drugs quickly took effect; SIG Sauer felt himself become quite drowsy. However, he still had just enough strength to tilt his head to the left. When he did, he saw Princess Celestia and Bronze Star standing at the window to the room. The sight of his leaders together and unharmed was enough to set his mind at ease, and he managed to form a weak smile on his face.

Bronze Star tried to smile back, but he could not even bring himself to beam. SIG Sauer's smile soon dropped and he lost consciousness. The doctor at the front of the table turned his head away so that it was facing the ceiling. Then Sharp Seams commenced the operation.

Princess Celestia decided that she and her associates did not have to watch anymore. They left SIG Sauer and his trauma team to their work. However, their business at the hospital was not yet concluded. They still needed some clarity on who attacked SIG, and what their motivation was.

The group made their way to the security office, which was where Noble Edict was waiting for them. Princess Celestia ordered her guards to remain outside. Then she, Princess Luna, Bronze Star, Bellerophon, Twilight Sparkle, and Spike entered the room.

Noble Edict was leaning against the wall, shuffling through some files. She looked up at the five ponies and the dragon as they joined her. When she saw Bronze Star, she scoffed and cheekily remarked "I hope that costume is not how you dress everyday… Your Highness."

Bronze Star was alarmed by this remark. "You know…?"

As Noble Edict nodded, Bellerophon enlightened him "Due to some… extenuating circumstances, we saw it necessary to bring her into the circle."

"Don't worry, sir," the red Earth Pony told the gold Alicorn, "I have not told anypony else. The only ones in this town who know are the seven of us and Mr. Sauer."

"Actually, Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity all know, as well," Bronze Star informed her.

"I should have guessed, seeing as how you're wearing Applejack's hat," Noble Edict commented.

"Yeah, she was kind enough to lend it to me," Bronze Star illuminated. He removed Applejack's hat, set it down on a table, and stated "I'll give it back to her later. For now, we have business to discuss."

"I'll say we do," commented Spike, "Before you guys came back, the last thing I remember was collapsing at Town Hall. What happened since then?"

"In a nutshell, we eliminated Nightmare Moon, we rescued Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, and SIG Sauer was assaulted," Twilight Sparkle apprised him.

"Let's start with that last issue," Bronze Star proposed. He turned to Noble Edict and Bellerophon and demanded "Who's the scumbag responsible for putting SIG in this hospital?"

"Scumbags, plural," Noble Edict corrected him, "There were five of them total. Three of them moved to Ponyville about two weeks ago. Their names were Soapstone, Petal Picker, and Dense Miasma. The identities of the other two suspects are currently unknown."

"What were they doing out there?" asked Twilight Sparkle.

"Luring SIG Sauer into a trap," Noble Edict replied.

"Why?" asked Bronze Star in concern.

"They needed his blood," Bellerophon replied.

Obviously, these vague, concise answers were rather inadequate. Spike and Princess Luna knew nothing of this matter. Twilight Sparkle and Bronze Star knew a marginal amount, and Princess Celestia only knew a little more. Even Bellerophon and Noble Edict did not have the full facts, but they did have enough to fill in the blanks on their own. The two of them started at the beginning, and quickly brought the others up to speed.

They covered everything from Noble's discovery of the energy cloud to when she, Bellerophon, and SIG Sauer managed to free Celestia from it. Once they were done with their explanation, everypony and Spike was left stunned.

"This is quite a lot to process," Twilight commented.

"Indeed," Bronze Star observed, "But are you certain that SIG Sauer is safe?"

"Yes, all five of the people who attacked him are dead," Noble Edict notified him, "I sent out some of my agents to retrieve their bodies. My hope is that their autopsies will reveal something more."

"But I thought you just said SIG was no longer in danger," Spike pointed out.

"Yes, but that doesn't mean the danger is gone altogether," Bellerophon clarified, "We suspect that this conspiracy might not be over yet. The amount of planning and detail that went into it is extraordinary. Even more extraordinary was the conspirators' level of commitment to this plot. One of them was willing to take her own life to ensure its success."

"Then she died for nothing," Princess Luna perceived, "Such a shame she chose to throw her life away like that. But I know firsthand what obsession can do to people."

"The difference is that you were saved, Your Highess," Bellerophon pointed out, "That mare was already too far gone when she swallowed that poison. Even if we tried to talk her out of it, she would not have listened to us."

"Well, at any rate, that mare's well-being is insignificant in the long-run," Bronze Star declared.

Now that the matter of the energy sphere had been explained, Bronze Star and Twilight Sparkle had their turn to recall everything they had been through in the Everfree Forest. Bellerophon was able to assist them up until the part about SIG Sauer's beacon. The two younger ponies had to recount how they had acquired the Elements of Harmony and the Shroud of Valor on their own.

Partway through the explanation, Bronze Star got out a quill and three sheets of parchment from his knapsack. He wanted to take advantage of his horn while he still had it, so he used his magic to write on the parchment with the quill. Nopony interrupted him by asking what he was doing.

By the time he and Twilight wrapped up their elucidation, Bronze Star had finished writing on the parchment. He rolled up the three pieces individually and fastened them with the royal seal. Then he wrote down a few more lines on the front of each of them.

Spike stepped up to the prince and asked him in interest "What are you up to, Bronze?"

"There are three people who need to know about what happened to SIG Sauer," the gold stallion revealed, "All of them live in Canterlot, so I'm sending each of them a letter."

"Since they're all in Canterlot, I could mail them for you," Spike offered.

"I appreciate the offer, Spike," Bronze Star told the dragon, "But the recipients are all very close to SIG Sauer. They need to be assured that we are just as concerned about him as they are going to be. I believe the best way to do that would be if somepony physically brought them these letters."

"You can leave that to me, sir," Bellerophon proposed, walking over to the gold stallion, "Your mother and I will be going back to Canterlot once the Summer Sun Celebration is over. I could see to it that the letters reach their destinations. In fact, I'll personally deliver them myself."

"Alright, Bellerophon," the male Alicorn coincided. He held the scrolls out to the tall Pegasus.

As Bellerophon took the scrolls in his front hooves, he stated "Out of curiosity, who are these three individuals and why is it so important that they know about SIG?"

"I've written their addresses and names on the front of the scrolls," Bronze Star illuminated, "Take a look at them."

Bellerophon examined the front of each scroll. They were all addressed to a different foundation. The first was to the Military Enforcement Corps. The second was to Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns. The third was to the Intelligence Bureau. The addresses alone gave Bellerophon an idea as to who the recipients were, and when he read the names, his suspicions were confirmed. Both his questions were answered at once.

Bellerophon looked down at Bronze Star and assured him "You can count on me, my prince. I'll have these delivered by tonight."

"Thank you, Bellerophon" the gold stallion remarked in appreciation, "If any of them have a response, please tell them they can forward it to me through Spike."

Bellerophon acknowledged this request and tucked the scrolls between his wings. Twilight then checked the time and noted it was past twelve o'clock in the afternoon. Enough time had elapsed for Celestia to perform the illusion spell again. When Bronze Star was ready, his mother cast the spell on his wings and horn, rendering them incapable of being detected visually or physically once more.

By now, there were only two more topics that needed to be discussed. First, there was the matter of the artifacts that had been found in the abandoned fortress. Princess Celestia decided she would take the Elements of Harmony back to Canterlot, but the Shroud of Valor would stay with Bronze Star in Ponyville. This was not because she only trusted her son to keep his relic safe. She merely felt that these objects were so powerful that it would be too dangerous for anypony outside of the Canterlot Royalty to possess them. Twilight Sparkle did not protest, and she was certain the other mares would not either.

The other subject had to do with Princess Luna. While the blue Alicorn was overjoyed to have been reunited with Celestia and vice versa, she was still unsure about going with her sister to Canterlot right after the Summer Sun Celebration. She had never been to Canterlot before, but she could imagine that she would attract quite a lot of attention everywhere she went. Even if it was nothing but adoration and praise, she was still not ready for that kind of publicity. She wanted to spend a few days in the company of as few ponies as possible before she faced the huge crowds at the capital city. She was not certain how she would manage this, though.

This time, Bronze Star came up with a solution. He invited his aunt to move in with him at the embassy. He told her that she would be welcome there for as long as she wanted to stay. Luna was a little hesitant at first, but Bronze Star insisted that there was plenty of room and that she would not be imposing. Plus, he wanted to get to know her better. Truth be told, Luna wanted to become more familiar with her nephew as well, so she eagerly accepted Bronze Star's invitation.

Now that everything of precedence had been resolved, the six ponies and the dragon decided to go back outside. After all, the Summer Sun Celebration was still going on; they may as well join in on the festivities. Even Luna agreed to participate.

They stepped out of the office and headed towards the front entrance. Along the way, they encountered one of Noble Edict's operatives. He asked the red mare for a moment of her time, telling her it was urgent that he speak to her. Noble Edict assured him that whatever he had to say to her, he could also say it in front of Princess Celestia, her sister, her chief of staff, her ambassador to Ponyville, her apprentice, and her apprentice's assistant.

The stallion reluctantly agreed and walked alongside her. Then he announced "We just finished retrieving the bodies from the Everfree Forest."

"Excellent," commented Ponyville's chief of security, "Did you have any difficulty bringing them in?"

"No, they were right where you said they were," the stallion informed her. After a moment of silence, he anxiously added in "All four of them."

At that, Noble Edict halted in her tracks, as did the others in her group. She slowly turned to her agent and uttered quietly "Did you say four?"

"Yes, ma'am," he affirmed

"When we left that clearing, there were five bodies," Bellerophon recalled.

"That's why I'm here," the agent apprised them, "When our team got there, one of them was missing."

"Which ones did you bring in?" queried Bronze Star.

"Soapstone, Petal Picker, Dense Miasma, and that huge one with no head," the agent replied.

"What about the cloaked mare?" asked Noble Edict.

"She wasn't there," the agent responded simply.


End file.
